President John Dramani Mahama has set an ambitious goal for Ghana to process at least 60 percent of its major tree crops, such as cashew, shea, and rubber, locally each year. This initiative aims to enhance industrialization, create job opportunities, and decrease the country's dependency on exporting raw materials. The announcement was made during the Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit held in Accra, which highlights the government's focus on transitioning the agricultural sector from merely producing raw materials to adding value through processing.

The initiative is part of a larger $200 million Tree Crops Diversification project that seeks to fundamentally shift the agricultural landscape in Ghana. President Mahama emphasized the importance of this project in enabling the country to move away from exporting unprocessed products while importing finished goods at significantly higher prices. The government plans to achieve this through the expansion of agro-industrial parks and by incentivizing private sector involvement in processing the tree crops.

Furthermore, the establishment of the Tree Crops Development Authority will play a pivotal role in enhancing regulatory oversight. This aim is to ensure that the tree crop sector not only thrives but also contributes meaningfully to the country's economy. The overarching theme of the summit, 'Sustainable Growth through Tree Crop Investment: Resetting and Building Ghana,' reflects a commitment to responsible environmental practices and economic resilience in Ghana's agricultural sector.