Ghana's parliament passed a bill on Thursday, August 3rd, 2026, that could send cocoa farmers to prison for up to 20 years if they convert their farms to other uses without government approval, according to a copy of the bill seen by The Associated Press.

The legislation grants protected status to all cocoa farms, making it a criminal offense to repurpose them without authorization. This move has drawn criticism from farmers. Moses Djan Asiedu, administrator of the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association Limited and a cocoa farmer, said, “If the law stands as it is now, it’s not fair.” He highlighted that many farmers invest their own money to acquire land, clear it, and maintain cocoa farms for years before earning any income, yet receive little government support. “If cocoa is a national asset, then the farmer should also be supported to cover some of the cost of production,” Asiedu added.

The toughest penalties under the new law target illegal gold mining activities, with prison sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years and heavy fines for each affected cocoa tree.

Cocoa farming is a significant economic activity in the region. In neighboring Ivory Coast, cocoa bean exports constitute 40% of total export revenue. After a surge in cocoa futures prices on international markets in 2024, contracts reached more than $12,000 per metric ton, the highest in decades.

Manu Yaw Fofie, a cocoa farmer, was pictured walking through his farm in Kona, Ghana, on March 6th, 2026.

The contents of the law were not made public until late Sunday following its passage.

Sources