A group of global companies active across the cocoa value chain are strengthening their joint investment in forest protection and climate-resilient cocoa production in Ghana, through a shared landscape-level programme in the Asunafo-Asutifi area.
The collaboration brings together Mondelēz International, Barry Callebaut, and Sainsbury’s, alongside existing donors such as the Walmart Foundation, to scale interventions that address deforestation risks while supporting sustainable livelihoods for cocoa-growing communities. The initiative is implemented through Proforest Africa’s Production Landscape Programme and works in close coordination with local stakeholders and authorities.
By investing collectively at landscape scale, the partners aim to move beyond isolated farm-level action and contribute to long-term forest protection across an entire sourcing region. The programme focuses on aligning conservation, sustainable production and community development, while strengthening readiness for regulatory frameworks such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
“As part of Cocoa Life, we believe in the importance of sector-wide collaboration to help protect forests at scale. We believe this partnership will help bring more positive impact to the Asunafo-Asutifi forests in Ghana. As we focus on forest protection and restoration, we welcome more interested companies and investors to help fund other challenges such as cocoa productivity in the area,” said Jephthah Mensah, Country Lead; Mondelēz Cocoa Life Ghana.
The initiative reflects a broader shift toward landscape and jurisdictional approaches as a practical mechanism for companies to reduce environmental risk, support forest-positive outcomes and align private investment with public sustainability goals in key sourcing regions.
This article was drafted using information from Mondelēz International.