The Forestry Commission (FC) has engaged the Agroforestry Technical Work Group (ATWG) on a collaborative roadmap for the development of a national agroforestry policy.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening government leadership on agroforestry while positioning the ATWG as a multi-stakeholder technical support platform.
The Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Dr. Hugh Brown, together with his team welcomed the delegation from the ATWG which was led by H.E Jeroen Verheul, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana.
The delegation included Ms. Anna Boateng, Policy Officer for Climate, Environment and Water at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Mr. Clifford Adagenera, Programmes Manager at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); Ms. Rachel Akrofie, Communications Manager, Innovation for Policy (i4 policy); and Mr. Blaise Bayuo, Policy Consultant at i4Policy.
A statement on the Facebook page of the Chief Executive of Forestry Commission Dr. Hugh Brown, on Thursday, July 23,2026, reiterated the commitment of the FC to promote agroforestry.
He noted that as the institution responsible for managing Ghana’s forest and wildlife resources, the Commission recognises the need to integrate trees into agricultural landscapes, particularly cocoa farms, to enhance productivity, improve biodiversity and strengthen resilience to climate change.
He highlighted the FC’s collaboration with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), the World Bank, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Ghana Forest Investment Program, which has supported the planting of millions of trees on cocoa farms.
Dr. Brown further stressed that expanding agroforestry beyond forest reserves is essential for restoring degraded lands, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and achieving sustainable environmental and economic development, while expressing the Commission’s readiness to continue working with stakeholders to advance these goals.
H.E Jeroen Verheul, acknowledged the Embassy of the Netherlands’ longstanding partnership with the Forestry Commission (FC) and commended the Commission for its unwavering commitment to sustainable forest management and landscape restoration.
He also commended the significant contributions of the FC team, led by Mrs. Valerie Fummey-Nassah, Director of Operations Plantations Unit, Forest Services Division (FSD), to the ATWG since its inception, noting that the time had come for agroforestry in Ghana to evolve from isolated initiatives into a coordinated national framework.
H.E Verheul explained that the Embassy of the Netherlands has supported a collaborative process to advance Ghana’s agroforestry agenda through technical studies, stakeholder consultations, regional workshops and national policy dialogue.
He noted that one of the most significant outcomes of this process is the establishment of the ATWG, which brings together government institutions, research organisations, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.
He emphasised that the ATWG does not intend to become another institution, but rather a collaborative mechanism to support government leadership in the development and implementation of agroforestry initiatives.
Recognising the Forestry Commission as the lead institution in Ghana’s forest conservation efforts, restore degraded landscapes and promote the sustainable management of forest resources, H.E Verheul appealed for the Commission’s partnership in developing a national agroforestry policy. He observed that as agroforestry continues to gain prominence, a comprehensive national policy is essential to harmonise the numerous agroforestry initiatives across the country, provide a coherent framework for implementation and guide future investments in the sector.
Giving a presentation on behalf of the ATWG, Mr. Clifford Adagenera outlined the Group’s mandate, objectives and strategic vision for advancing agroforestry in Ghana with support from the Government of the Netherlands.
He highlighted practical initiatives such as the Farm of the Future, a farmer-centred model co-created with farming communities to demonstrate agroforestry systems that improve labour efficiency, optimise land use and enhance farmers’ incomes.
He also underscored the Group’s broader partnership with Ghana’s cocoa sector and reaffirmed the Netherlands’ long-term commitment to supporting the development and implementation of a National Agroforestry Policy that will provide the strategic direction needed to scale up agroforestry nationwide.
An interactive session followed the presentation, where participants exchanged ideas, shared experiences and made recommendations on strengthening agroforestry implementation and fostering effective collaboration among stakeholders.
Culminating the session, H.E Verheul expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with the Forestry Commission and expressed optimism that the discussions would mark the beginning of an even stronger partnership between the Commission, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and other development partners.
Dr. Brown thanked the delegation for the productive engagement and reaffirmed the FC’S commitment to supporting the work of the Agroforestry Technical Working Group and collaborating with partners to advance sustainable agroforestry development in Ghana.
By Benjamin Aidoo
