Ivory Coast and Ghana agree on joint strategy to combat cocoa swollen shoot disease
via Abidjan.net9 min read
The Cocoa-Coffee Council and the Ghana Cocoa Board, under the Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative, held a two-day regional workshop in Abidjan on April 14-15, 2026, to address the cocoa swollen shoot virus disease CSSVD. Participants agreed on a five-year implementation framework 2026-2031 for a joint regional strategy to combat the disease. This strategy aims to contain and progressively reduce the incidence of swollen shoot through five pillars: rehabilitation of affected farms, updating CSSVD outbreak distribution maps, producer engagement and awareness, CSSVD monitoring and surveillance, and joint research for screening resistant varieties. Alex Assanvo, Executive Secretary of the Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative, emphasized that swollen shoot is a regional challenge requiring collective action and long-term commitment. The workshop also served to strengthen collaboration and mobilize necessary technical, scientific, and financial partnerships. Participants reaffirmed the importance of sustained coordination, knowledge sharing, and resource mobilization for significant and lasting results. The Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative organized the workshop with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO and funding from the European Union through the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative. Coulibaly Ali, Director of Perennial and Export Crops, representing Bruno Nabagn茅 Kon茅, the Ivorian Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production, p
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