19 Desember 2025
Proforest Africa secures funding from companies to strengthen its forest protection and sustainable cocoa programme in Asunafo-Asutifi landscape
New funding from leading cocoa and retail giants strengthens efforts to protect forests, support farmers, and build a climate‑resilient cocoa sector in Ghana
The private sector is taking an increasingly strategic role in advancing sustainable cocoa production in Ghana, as Proforest’ Landscape Programme in the Asunafo-Asutifi enters a major new expansion phase. The programme which began in 2020 with eight companies, including Mondelēz International, partnered with a UK development agency to conduct a comprehensive baseline socio-economic and ecological study. This research established groundwork for transforming the Asunafo-Asutifi Hotspot Intervention Area (HIA) into a fully functional, collaboratively governed landscape with a long-term management plan.
New global partners join to scale impact
Today, three major players across the value chain; Mondelēz International, Barry Callebaut, and Sainsbury’s have joined forces with existing donors such as the Walmart Foundation to accelerate interventions across the landscape over the next three years. Their joint efforts aim to support a climate‑resilient, forest‑positive cocoa sector that aligns with global sustainability standards.
By working collaboratively with local communities, the Forestry Commission, and private sector partners, we aim to strengthen governance systems, restore degraded areas, and empower farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to comply with global sustainability standards, said Augustus Asamoah, Principal Project Manager at Proforest Africa.
Driving a sustainable, climate‑resilient cocoa landscape
The programme prioritises:
- Restoring degraded forest reserves
- Increasing tree cover on cocoa farms
- Enhancing community participation in natural resource management
- Building farmer capacity for EUDR compliance
- Promoting long-term environmental and social sustainability
Key interventions to reduce deforestation include:
1. Restoring forest fringe areas: Rehabilitation of priority forest fringe zones using dynamic agroforestry techniques that reduce fire risks, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience.
2. Strengthening forest protection systems: Training and equipping forest guards with GPS devices, boots, raincoats, and other essential tools to improve patrol efficiency and coordinate community fire volunteer squads.
3. Improving forest monitoring and enforcement: Supporting the Forestry Commission to establish a platform for detecting and reporting illegal activities in forest reserves, boosting accountability and enforcement.
4. Restoring riparian zones: Procuring and distributing high-quality seedlings to restore major riparian areas, protecting waterways and enhancing ecosystem services across the landscape.
Partners highlight the power of collaboration
Funding partners emphasised that addressing landscape-level challenges requires strong, coordinated action across the cocoa industry.
“As part of Cocoa Life, we believe in the importance of sector-wide collaboration to help protect forests at scale. We believe this partnership will help bring more positive impact to the Asunafo-Asutifi forests in Ghana. As we focus on forest protection and restoration, we welcome more interested companies and investors to help fund other challenges such as cocoa productivity in the area,” said Jephthah Mensah, Country Lead; Mondelēz Cocoa Life Ghana.
“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to our Forever Chocolate Strategy and specifically to our Forest Positive Objective. Our contribution to the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape programme aims to reduce deforestation, protect forests and biodiversity in a key cocoa-producing landscape,” said Juliette Cody, Director; Global Sustainability Programme, Barry Callebaut.
"We are thrilled to join forces with others in the chocolate industry to invest in a key cocoa production landscape. This represents a significant step in demonstrating how supply chain collaboration can support forest fringe communities to protect and restore forests. By working together with our suppliers and local technical experts, we are fostering industry-wide efforts to create a resilient future for cocoa producers and the environment," said Paige Hunt, Sustainability Manager - Responsible Sourcing, Sainsbury’s Supermarkets.
Building a model for sustainable cocoa landscapes
The Asunafo-Asutifi landscape programme is part of a broader vision to transform cocoa‑forest landscapes across Ghana into climate-resilient, economically thriving ecosystems. Proforest Africa remains committed to collaborating with government agencies, private sector partners, and local communities to scale integrated landscape governance models both within Ghana and across the wider region.
