Advancing Cocoa Farming: APNI’s Transformative Mission in Ghana

From January 12 to 18, 2025, representatives from the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI) embarked on an impactful mission in Ghana. This initiative, spearheaded by Drs. Kokou Amouzou, Esther Mugi, and Kwame Frimpong, is aimed at driving innovation and sustainability in cocoa farming. The focus was on enhancing yields, improving farmer livelihoods, and integrating climate-smart practices through groundbreaking research and collaborations.

A Journey of Collaboration and Progress

The APNI team engaged in a comprehensive series of activities, traveling across Accra, Kumasi, and the cocoa-rich districts of Juaboso and Dadieso. Key discussions and collaborations with the CSIR-Soil Research Institute (SRI) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) laid the foundation for  impactful outcomes.

Meetings with senior officials from SRI and KNUST highlighted the importance of fostering partnerships. At SRI, discussions covered project governance, fund management, and harmonizing research activities for students. At KNUST, leadership expressed strong support for the African Trees Crop System (ATCS) and African Plant Nutrition Research Fund (APNRF) Cocoa initiatives, praising their ability to deliver both practical benefits for farmers and academic opportunities for students.

Field work with the partners and farmers

Driving Innovation Through Research

The mission reviewed the progress of the ATCS and APNRF Cocoa projects. The ATCS initiative is focused on soil health and carbon sequestration through biochar and organo-mineral fertilizers, while the APNRF project integrates diverse data sources like soil analysis, indigenous knowledge, and remote sensing to create innovative agronomic frameworks. Significant strides were made as graduate students have developed research proposals addressing critical topics such as soil fertility mapping, shade tree diversity, and carbon stock analysis. Manuscripts on composting techniques and site-specific fertilizer formulations are in the peer-review process.

Insights from the Field

Field visits to agronomic platforms in Dadieso, Juaboso and Offinso offered valuable insights. Farmers received training on biochar production and witnessed its benefits, such as improved soil biological activity and water retention. Trials with innovative Poly 4 fertilizers demonstrated promising results, inspiring discussions about expanding these efforts to more cocoa-growing regions.

“Farmers provided critical feedback during these visits. They emphasized the need for supplementary irrigation to maximize yield responses, aligning with ongoing research exploring water-nutrient interactions. These dialogues reinforced the mission’s commitment to bridging research and practice,” explained Dr. Amouzou.

Farmers applying fertilizers.

Moving forward, several clear next steps have emerged. Strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders, such as the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG-COCOBOD), remains a priority. Additionally, graduate students’ research will be closely monitored to ensure timely completion by late 2025. Efforts to scale successful innovations, such as crop nutrition research platforms, to more cocoa communities will also be pursued. The Ghana mission underscored APNI’s dedication to empowering farmers and advancing sustainable cocoa farming practices. By merging cutting-edge science with local expertise, the ATCS and APNRF projects are setting a new standard for resilience and productivity in the cocoa sector. These initiatives represent a significant step forward in creating a thriving future for cocoa farming in Ghana and beyond.