Ghana’s cocoa sector received a major media and advocacy boost with the official launch of the Cocoa Media Hub, a new agro-media platform designed to strengthen farmer voices, improve information flow and promote sustainability across the cocoa value chain.
The launch event, held in Accra brought together government officials, traditional authorities, development partners, cocoa farmers and media practitioners at a time when the global cocoa industry is grappling with price volatility, climate change and tightening environmental regulations.
Delivering the keynote address as chairman of the launch, Nana Professor Kofi Yeboah II, Chief of Wasa Gyeduasekwese, described the initiative as both timely and strategic, noting that cocoa farmers remain the backbone of Ghana’s economy despite persistent challenges.
“The resilience and dedication of our
cocoa farmers continue to sustain livelihoods and national revenue,” he said. “Any effort that seeks to empower them with information, visibility and opportunity is an investment in Ghana’s future.”
Nana Yeboah said the Cocoa Media Hub, widely known by its flagship brand My Cocoa Business, aims to bridge the information gap between cocoa farmers, industry players and consumers, from bean to bar. He emphasized that access to timely, accurate information is critical to building a more equitable and sustainable cocoa sector.
He outlined major challenges facing the industry, including farmer livelihoods, climate change and the adoption of
modern technology. He cited the importance of fair pricing mechanisms such as the Living Income Differential, as well as climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry and compliance with regulations like the European Union Deforestation Regulation.
The chairman also called on government to support cocoa-focused media initiatives, including Truth TV, and controversially urged a review of land and forestry laws to release depleted forest reserves for cocoa cultivation to boost production.
“We must turn rhetoric into action,” he said. “Our vision is a cocoa sector that meets global demand while enriching the lives of the millions who depend on it.”
Representing the Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Ransford Anertey Abbey, Public Affairs Director Sam Jerome delivered remarks on behalf of the board as special guest of honor. He said COCOBOD welcomed the Cocoa Media Hub as a credible platform that would complement the board’s commitment to transparency, dialogue and farmer-centered development.
“Cocoa development today goes beyond production and pricing,” Jerome said. “It is about visibility, storytelling and responsible media engagement that centers farmers’ lived experiences in the national conversation.”
He praised the initiative’s founder, Samuel Opoku, for dedicating his energy
and creativity to promoting cocoa at a time when competition for media attention is intense. Jerome said since taking office in 2025, COCOBOD’s management has adopted a more open approach to governance, making information accessible to stakeholders and the general public.
“We expect the Cocoa Media Hub to improve the quality, depth and consistency of information on cocoa policies and programs,” he said, adding that COCOBOD was ready to collaborate and support initiatives aligned with strengthening the sector.
In his address, Opoku, the chief executive of Cocoa Media Hub, traced the organization’s roots to a weekly television program launched in 2023 on
Truth TV under the title My Cocoa Life, later rebranded as My Cocoa Business TV Program. Viewer feedback, he said, revealed a strong demand for direct engagement with cocoa-growing communities.
That demand led to the creation of Nationwide Cocoa Farmers’ Rallies, which have so far reached 5,814 farmers across 19 events in collaboration with COCOBOD’s Cocoa Health and Extension Division and private-sector partners.
“The volume of feedback, challenges and insights we gathered made it clear that the industry needed a more structured media organization,” Opoku said. “That realization gave birth to the Cocoa Media Hub.”
He outlined the hub’s key divisions, including a weekly television program, agro-tourism initiatives, farmer rallies, an input distribution arm, an All Farmers Cooperatives Convention and training programs in cocoa processing for students and institutions.
Opoku said the hub’s five-year goal is to become the leading media organization in cocoa, chocolate and agricultural reporting in Ghana and beyond, and invited stakeholders to partner in sustaining its activities.
By Kingsley Asiedu
