Dr Andy Osei Okrah, is the Chief Executive Officer of the TCDA
Ghana has the potential to earn at least US$12 billion annually from six key tree crops by 2030, according to the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA).
The crops, cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango and shea are being positioned as major economic drivers beyond cocoa under the Authority’s Vision 2030 strategy.
“We are looking at an average of two billion dollars annually from each of these tree crops. Multiplied by six, we are talking about 12 billion dollars in revenues,” said Dr Andy Osei Okrah, Chief Executive Officer of the TCDA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
“With the necessary investment, we can even go beyond this target,” he stressed.
Dr Okrah said the Authority had adopted a comprehensive strategy anchored on expansion, credibility, visibility, and enforcement to achieve its vision.
He explained that expansion required increasing farm acreage, improving yields, and enhancing value chains to maximise returns.
“We need to ensure our farmers expand their farms, adopt best agronomic practices, and that the financial returns come in,” he noted.
On credibility, Dr Okrah stressed the need to position the TCDA as a centre of excellence by strengthening staff capacity and supporting farmers with technical assistance, pest control services, and other resources to boost productivity.
He said that enhancing the Authority’s visibility was crucial to attracting investors and strategic partners.
“Many people do not know much about the Authority, so we are intentionally engaging stakeholders and the media, and building a strong corporate brand to draw both local and international investors,” he said.
Dr Okrah stated that, to ensure effective regulation, the TCDA had established monitoring teams to oversee production, enforce licensing and registration, and combat illicit activities across the value chains.
“If we regulate the value chains properly, from rubber to oil palm, and check illicit practices, the money will stay in Ghana. Government will have revenue to create more jobs and build an enabling environment for businesses to thrive,” he said.
Dr Okrah noted that developing the tree crop sector could reduce Ghana’s reliance on external financial assistance.
“If we get this right, going to the IMF might not even come in, because we can generate the money here,” he added.
The TCDA was established under the Tree Crops Development Authority Act, 2019 (Act 1010), with the mandate to regulate and develop the production, processing, and trading of cashew, shea, mango, coconut, rubber, and oil palm in a sustainable manner.
Its mission is to transform these crops into major foreign exchange earners, diversify agricultural exports, and support job creation, industrialisation, and rural development.
