TCDA to Establish 16,000 Hectares of Tree Crop Enclaves Nationwide
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) has approved a major nationwide plantation initiative aimed at transforming Ghana’s tree crops sector, with plans to establish a minimum of 16,000 hectares of new tree crop enclaves across all 16 regions of the country.
The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the TCDA Board, which endorsed a flagship proposal requiring each region to develop at least 1,000 hectares of plantations dedicated to six regulated tree crops, cashew, oil palm, coconut, shea, mango, and rubber. The initiative, christened “The Legacy Project,” is expected to mark one of the most ambitious expansions of tree crop cultivation in Ghana’s recent history.
The project aligns with the broader national development agenda of President John Dramani Mahama, who has prioritised the transformation and industrialisation of the tree crops sector as a key driver of inclusive growth. The TCDA has positioned the program as a defining legacy intervention under the President’s leadership, with strategic oversight from the Authority’s Board and its Chief Executive, Dr. Andy Osei Okrah.
Under the Legacy Project, plantation development will be guided by regional comparative advantage. Each region will prioritise the tree crop best suited to its soil characteristics, climatic conditions, ecological zone and existing production strengths. This targeted approach, the Authority believes, will maximise productivity, reduce inefficiencies and ensure balanced development across all six regulated value chains.
Beyond boosting primary production, the project is designed to stimulate value addition and downstream processing, while strengthening Ghana’s position in regional and international export markets. The TCDA estimates that the initiative will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs nationwide, with particular emphasis on employment opportunities for youth and women in rural and peri-urban communities.
Following the Board’s approval, Dr. Osei Okrah briefed the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the scope and objectives of the project, with special focus on the oil palm sector, during a recent engagement with the Committee. The Committee Chairman, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, Member of Parliament for Wa East, together with the Ranking Member, Isaac Yaw Opoku, MP for Offinso South, commended the TCDA for what they described as bold and visionary leadership. Both lawmakers endorsed the initiative as a potentially transformational step for Ghana’s tree crops industry.
Also speaking on the project, TCDA Board Member, Lawyer Sadat Kishiwale, praised Dr. Osei Okrah for championing what he described as an audacious and forward-looking intervention. He noted that beyond boosting agricultural output, the new plantations could help restore degraded lands, particularly in mining-affected areas, while redefining the future of Ghana’s tree crops sector under the President’s national development vision.
