The Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) of Ghana will host the first Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit (GTCIS) from February 17 to 20, aiming to mobilize $100 million in investments for each of the six strategic tree crop value chains it regulates, totaling $600 million.
The targeted value chains include cashew, oil palm, rubber, coconut, shea, and mango.
Operating under the theme “Sustainable Growth Through Investment in Tree Crops: Resetting and Building Ghana’s Green Economy,” the summit is expected to attract over 6,000 participants, including institutional investors, development finance institutions, agro-industrial operators, policymakers, and trade partners from across Africa and beyond.
According to Andy Osei Okrah, Director-General of TCDA,
“The perennial crops sector of Ghana represents one of our most promising opportunities for inclusive economic growth and industrial transformation. GTCIS 2026 is not simply a conference: it is a platform to demonstrate our investment readiness, forge lasting partnerships and build a globally competitive value chain.”
The summit aims to leverage these partnerships to expand local processing, improve producer incomes, and reduce reliance on raw commodity exports.
In August 2025, TCDA projected that each value chain could generate up to $2 billion in annual export revenue by 2030, provided adequate investment, expanded processing, and structured market systems. By comparison, cashew exports, Ghana’s second-largest agricultural export after cocoa, earned $237 million in 2024, according to the Ghana Statistical Service.
Recent initiatives highlight government commitment to the sector:
Coconut: Plans to double national cultivation to 180,000 hectares by 2028, aiming for a 60% increase in export revenue to $18.1 million.
Shea: President John Dramani Mahama launched a shea industrial hub in Wa to add value for cosmetics, food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical sectors.
Oil Palm: The government renewed its objective of self-sufficiency by 2025, establishing a $500 million financing facility to support private sector investment.
While large-scale plans for cashew and rubber are pending, industry stakeholders are seeking government support to strengthen processing and industrial capacity. The Rubber Processors Association reported a $100 million annual revenue shortfall in 2025 due to low processing levels and weak regulation.
The GTCIS 2026 represents a strategic push to attract investment, foster value addition, and position Ghana as a continental leader in tree crop production and processing.
