Ghana’s cocoa belt is fast becoming a frontline laboratory of climate change, where erratic rains, rising heat and surging pests threaten farmers’ livelihoods.
Black pod disease, mirids and capsids now devastate yields at unprecedented scale, but farmers are not defenceless.
A quiet revolution, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), is arming cocoa growers with science to fight back.
By blending ecology, agronomy and climate knowledge, IPM reduces chemical dependence, builds resilience and safeguards the world’s favourite crop.
Science on the Farm
Climate change is redrawing Ghana’s cocoa map. Irregular rainfall, hotter dry seasons, and shifting humidity are altering pest life cycles, fuelling outbreaks once tamed by routine spraying. Farmers now face pesticide resistance and dwindling results.
IPM, however, offers a smarter alternative. Instead of blanket spraying, farmers observe, diagnose, and act with precision.
Natural predators such as ants and parasitic wasps suppress pests. Pruning, mulching, and shade regulation manage microclimates.
Breeders supply resilient seedlings that endure droughts and floods. Chemicals, when necessary, are applied sparingly and at the right time.
“IPM has changed the way I farm,” says 37-year-old Samuel Torbi, who cultivates 17 acres of cocoa at Otabil Nkwanta in the Assin Fosu Cocoa District of the Central Region.
Torbi made the remarks to a group of young journalists during a field visit to his farm, as part of a capacity-building workshop on cocoa production organised under the auspices of the European Union, GIZ and COCOBOD.
“We don’t just spray chemicals. We first look at the problem, identify the pest, and decide the safest, most effective method.”
From Resilience to Market Access
Torbi is one of more than 3,000 farmers in the Assin Fosu GIZ Cocoa Project, where IPM is tied directly to international trade. The project’s four pillars – traceability, child labour elimination, living income and farmer advocacy – are anchored in climate-smart practices like IPM.
Through COCOBOD’s Cocoa Management System (CMS), every bag of cocoa is GPS-mapped, ensuring compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Healthy, pest-resilient farms deliver stable yields that international buyers trust. Payments go directly to farmers’ mobile wallets, with digital traceability proving their compliance. For Torbi, the link between IPM and digital systems delivers both resilience and recognition.
Knowledge at the Farm Gate
At the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) at Assin Fosu, Coordinator Ayiku Abdul Rahman Tetteh, said IPM had grown beyond pest control into a frontline climate adaptation tool.
“We train farmers to understand pest life cycles in relation to rainfall and temperature patterns. Shade trees restore microclimates, agroforestry reduces drought stress and natural pest control keeps ecosystems balanced. Chemicals are our last resort,” he said.
By integrating seasonal climate forecasts into training, extension officers now help farmers to anticipate pest pressure and prepare in advance instead of reacting in panic.
Living Proof
For farmers like Torbi, the results speak louder than theory. His yields have stabilised, input costs are lower, and his farm withstands droughts and floods with greater ease.
IPM as Ghana’s Climate Shield
As climate change tightens its grip on West Africa’s cocoa belt, Ghana is proving that adaptation is not a luxury but a necessity.
By embedding IPM into national traceability and sustainability systems, the country is building a cocoa sector that is resilient, low-carbon and competitive.
From dew-soaked mornings in Assin Fosu to chocolate shelves in Europe, every bean harvested under IPM tells a story of science and stewardship, a proof that adaptation and market competitiveness can grow on the same tree.
