Ghana’s Unpaid Cocoa Farmers Forced to Go Hungry as Payment Delays Bite

thousands of cocoa farmers across Ghana are struggling to feed their families and keep farms running as delayed payments for beans delivered months ago leave them without income, forcing some to skip meals and cut essentials like school fees and healthcare. The hardship has put a spotlight on deepening distress in the world’s second-largest cocoa industry.

In cocoa-growing districts such as Zambolee in the Central Region, farmers say they delivered bags of beans to licensed buying companies late in 2025 but still have not been paid, leaving many unable to afford basic needs. One farmer said he had been eating only once a day for weeks because he lacked the money for sufficient food, while others said they cannot pay for their children’s university tuition or replace ageing cocoa trees.

The payment crisis stems from a cash-flow squeeze in Ghana’s cocoa sector, where the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) owes billions to licensed buying companies (LBCs), limiting their ability to pay farmers. Analysts say global cocoa prices have plummeted in the past year, with international demand weakened and prices at two-year lows, hurting exports and reducing revenue available for payments.

Ghana’s farmgate price the minimum price paid to farmers set by COCOBOD remains relatively high compared with global prices, meaning international buyers face losses and have scaled back purchases, leaving about 50,000 metric tons of unsold cocoa at ports and more stuck with farmers at home.

Parliament’s Minority caucus has pressed the government and COCOBOD to release funds immediately and reimburse LBCs so farmers can be paid for deliveries dating back to November 2025. Opponents argue that the prolonged delays are “inflicting severe hardship” on rural households and threaten confidence in the cocoa value chain if left unresolved.

The Ministry of Finance has directed COCOBOD to begin immediate payments to affected farmers, and a new bill is being prepared to address structural issues in the sector, officials said. The emergency measures follow an emergency Cabinet meeting on the cocoa sector’s challenges and aim to stabilize payments and introduce longer-term reforms.

Cocoa farmers and advocacy groups have warned that continued delays not only hurt livelihoods but could dampen investment in future seasons. Without prompt payment and a functioning market, some farmers say they may cut back on essential farm maintenance or diversify away from cocoa altogether, risking declines in production over time.

The crisis highlights broader vulnerabilities in Ghana’s agricultural economy, where cocoa a key export and foreign exchange earner plays a central role in rural incomes. Efforts to address the sector’s funding problems, including reforms to financing structures and increased domestic processing, are now a focus of government and industry consultations.