Leadership in Production Landscapes: Collective Private Sector Action in Asunafo-Asutifi, Ghana

In Asunafo-Asutifi landscape in Ghana, different stakeholders have joined together to create a landscape programme to support forest protection and restoration, scale up sustainable commodity production and improve livelihoods for farmers. Collective action in the landscape is carried out under the framework of the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme, which provides the guidelines and processes for engaging stakeholders.

Eight diverse companies – Mondelēz International, Touton SA, Cargill, Ecom, Lindt, Mars, OFI (formerly Olam Food Ingredients) and Sucden – coordinated by the World Cocoa Foundation – have committed to supporting the Asunafo-Asutifi programme. Proforest facilitates the development of the initiative and has supported the design of the landscape management and investment plans in collaboration with government, civil society and other stakeholders.

The study shows that, in Ghana, and particularly in the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape, the increasing shift towards collective action at scale by companies has been facilitated by factors such as the right national and corporate policies and effective leadership and commitment. Other factors include effective communication and support systems and an effective and collaborative approach to planning.

The case study builds on another on the overall Asunafo-Asutifi programme by Proforest from December 2020; read it here. See also a webinar presenting the landscape initiative here.