COCOBOD Hosts EU Parliament Member Catarina Vieira to Inspect Cocoa Sustainability and Traceability
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has hosted Ms. Catarina Vieira, a Member of the European Parliament, on a two-day working visit to Ghana to inspect the country’s cocoa sustainability measures, traceability systems, and quality assurance processes across the cocoa value chain.
The visit was aimed at giving the European Union a firsthand understanding of how Ghana is preparing to fully comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which requires cocoa and other commodities entering the EU market to be traceable from origin and produced without contributing to deforestation.
Ms. Vieira was accompanied by officials from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the European Union Embassy in Ghana. The delegation embarked on a field trip to Suhum in the Eastern Region, where they interacted with cocoa farmers and local stakeholders to observe cocoa production practices, farm mapping, and traceability mechanisms being implemented under COCOBOD’s regulatory framework.
The delegation later visited COCOBOD’s warehouse facility in Tema, where they were taken through cocoa quality inspection, storage, and export preparation processes that ensure Ghana’s cocoa consistently meets international standards. The team also examined how data is captured and integrated along the supply chain to support farm-to-port traceability.
The visit culminated in a high-level engagement with COCOBOD’s Management at Cocoa House in Accra, where detailed discussions were held on sustainability policies, traceability architecture, and Ghana’s readiness to meet evolving global market requirements.
Speaking during the engagement, Ms. Vieira commended Ghana’s cocoa traceability system, describing it as comprehensive and well-structured. She praised COCOBOD’s EUDR compliance framework and the significant progress made in advancing sustainable and deforestation-free cocoa production.
She further reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to continued cooperation with Ghana’s cocoa sector, noting that the EU remains keen on supporting initiatives that enhance environmental protection, farmer livelihoods, and long-term sector resilience. She highlighted farm rehabilitation and sustainability investments as key areas for future collaboration.
COCOBOD’s Management reiterated the Board’s commitment to strengthening traceability systems, upholding sustainability standards, and maintaining Ghana’s reputation for premium-quality cocoa on the international market. Management emphasized that ongoing reforms are designed not only to meet international regulatory requirements but also to safeguard forest resources and improve the socio-economic well-being of cocoa farmers.
The visit reinforced the strong partnership between Ghana and the European Union and underscored Ghana’s position as a leading producer of sustainably sourced, high-quality cocoa aligned with global environmental and trade standards.
