The Government of Ghana has signed a Letter of Intent with Japan and Japanese global food company Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. to strengthen cooperation towards the sustainable development of Ghana’s cocoa industry and the promotion of a circular economy.
The Letter of Intent was signed in Accra on Monday, September 14, 2026, during a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of Meiji Milk Chocolate. The event brought together high-level officials, including Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare and Japanese Ambassador to Ghana Hiroshi Yoshimoto.
The agreement seeks to deepen cooperation around the sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa value chain, including efforts to improve productivity, quality, technology transfer, traceability, value addition and the livelihoods of cocoa-producing communities.
These areas build on Meiji’s longstanding cocoa support programme in Ghana, which began in 2006 and includes technical assistance to farmers, support for cocoa quality, environmental conservation and initiatives to improve farmers’ livelihoods.
Meiji’s current work in Ghana is also expanding into the circular economy. In July 2026, the company announced that it had been selected for a Japanese government-supported feasibility study to explore the production of bioplastics using previously underutilised cocoa materials, including cocoa husks and cascara, in Ghana, Ecuador and Mexico.
The initiative is intended to assess the commercial potential of turning cocoa by-products into new value-added materials while creating opportunities for farmers and local employment.
Meiji has also been developing cocoa traceability and sustainability initiatives in Ghana. Its current programme reports 4,743 profiled farmers and 4,585 mapped farms in Ghana, alongside efforts addressing child labour risks, climate-smart agriculture, good agricultural practices and forest protection.
The partnership builds on longstanding Ghana-Japan ties in the cocoa and chocolate value chain. Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously highlighted the centenary of Meiji’s first importation of cocoa from Ghana to Japan as one of the milestones being commemorated as the two countries prepare to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to using such partnerships to advance sustainability, farmer welfare, environmental protection and value addition within Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, meanwhile, called on relevant institutions to work closely together and maintain a strong focus on delivering tangible results from the partnership.
As part of Meiji’s 100th anniversary celebrations, the company presented the Government of Ghana with 10,000 cacao bioplastic ballpoint pens as a token of appreciation for the longstanding partnership and friendship between Ghana and Japan.
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