CFC Hosts Ghana Ambassador for Talks on Improving Cocoa Farmer Incomes and Value Addition
Amsterdam, 6 May 2026 – Amb. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), welcomed H.E. Eddison Mensah Agbenyegah, Ambassador of Ghana to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Mrs. Naa Lamiokor Mills-Barnes, Counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs, to the CFC headquarters in Amsterdam for discussions on sustainable commodity finance, smallholder livelihoods, and value addition in producing countries. From the CFC, Ambassador Belal was joined by Ms. Zahra Kahla, Research and Data Assistant.
The meeting brought together senior representatives to discuss persistent structural challenges facing commodity-dependent economies, particularly the painfully low incomes earned by smallholder farmers despite their critical role in global supply chains.
Discussions focused on the urgent financing gap affecting the “missing middle” — small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are often too large for microfinance yet too small or high-risk for traditional commercial financing. Participants explored how blended finance mechanisms can help bridge this gap by supporting SMEs engaged in commodity processing, value addition, and market integration.
A key topic was Ghana’s cocoa sector, where despite being one of the world’s leading cocoa producers, farmers continue to face challenges including low living standards, aging cocoa trees, productivity constraints, and limited access to finance. The conversation also expanded to other important Ghanaian commodities, including shea and palm oil, highlighting the importance of diversified commodity development strategies.
The CFC emphasized the need to support producing countries in capturing greater value domestically through local processing and stronger commodity ecosystems. By enabling more value addition at origin, countries can strengthen rural incomes, create jobs, and reduce dependence on raw commodity exports.
The discussion also covered Ghana’s warehouse receipt system and its role in improving farmers’ and SMEs’ access to finance while strengthening links to domestic and international markets.
Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Managing Director of the CFC, stated:
“For countries like Ghana, supporting the full journey of commodity development means ultimately supporting the lives of farmers. Financing SMEs, strengthening processing capacity, and promoting local value addition are essential to building resilient commodity economies and improving smallholder livelihoods.”
Ambassador H.E. Eddison Mensah Agbenyegah shared a personal reflection on his connection to agriculture:
“I am a farmer myself. I understand the realities of farming life — waking up at dawn to work on the farm, and after school returning to continue the day’s labor. This experience has given me a deep appreciation for institutions that genuinely support farmers and work to improve their livelihoods. Ghana will always value initiatives that contribute to strengthening the lives of farming communities.”
As one of the world’s largest cocoa producers, Ghana continues to play a critical role in global commodity markets. Both parties acknowledged the importance of strengthening collaboration to address financing bottlenecks, improve value chains, and create more inclusive and sustainable development opportunities for commodity-dependent communities.
The meeting concluded in a constructive spirit, with both sides expressing interest in continued dialogue on advancing solutions that support farmers, SMEs, and broader commodity sector transformation in Ghana and beyond.
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