Mahama, Ouattara agree to harmonise cocoa prices to boost farmer incomes

President John Dramani Mahama and President Alassane Ouattara have agreed to harmonise cocoa pricing policies to improve earnings for farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

The joint declaration was signed by President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire at a high-level summit on the future of the cocoa economy held in Abidjan on June 16, 2026.

The two leaders renewed their commitment to building a sustainable cocoa economy by placing farmers at the centre of decision-making, sector governance, and the distribution of benefits across the cocoa value chain.

The declaration said the renewed partnership builds on the Abidjan Declaration of March 26, 2018, which has served as the foundation of cooperation between the two countries in the cocoa sector.

The leaders noted that Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire account for about 60 per cent of global cocoa production, giving both countries a shared responsibility to shape the future of the industry.

They also highlighted achievements made through previous collaborations, including the creation of the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative, the introduction of the Living Income Differential, harmonised producer price announcements, improved traceability systems and joint research to combat Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease.

Under the new agreement, both countries pledged to “harmonize farm-gate price policies to optimize producer remuneration, stabilize the market and strengthen their commercial cooperation through several key measures, including market synergy, the alignment of premiums and the harmonization of crop-season calendars.”

The two presidents also committed to ensuring that farmers receive greater benefits from the industry.

The declaration said both countries would “guarantee producers fair and decent remuneration and place them at the heart of the cocoa value chain.”

The leaders acknowledged persistent challenges facing the sector, including illegal mining, climate change, price volatility, the increasing use of cocoa substitutes and tougher international sustainability requirements.

To expand economic opportunities, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire agreed to “create added value by increasing processing capacity, encouraging regional and continental trade, and stimulating national and regional consumption of cocoa-based products.”

The declaration also outlined plans to broaden the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative to include other African countries.

According to the two leaders, the expansion will help “enhance regional cooperation, harmonize sector policies, strengthen collective bargaining power on global markets, and coordinate responses to the emerging challenges of the cocoa economy.”

The move is expected to strengthen Africa’s influence in the global cocoa industry and improve the livelihoods of millions of cocoa farmers across the continent.