Afarinick, Meiji deepen partnership to advance sustainable cocoa production

Ghanaian agroforestry restoration firm Afarinick Company Limited (ACL) and Japanese major Meiji Co. Ltd. have announced a strategic partnership to develop a sustainable and circular cocoa model in Ghana. The two companies inked a Letter of Intent (LOI) in Accra on September 14, 2026, during events commemorating Meiji Milk Chocolate's 100-year anniversary and the Japanese firm's long-standing ties with Ghana.

Signed by Afarinick Executive Chairman Joe Forson and Meiji President and Representative Director Bunjiro Yao, the agreement outlines plans for jointly establishing an agroforestry cocoa farm, emphasizing the productive reuse of farm waste. The model aims to enhance resource efficiency and promote eco-friendly cocoa production. The ceremony, attended by government officials, Ghana Cocoa Board representatives, and the Japanese Embassy, highlighted the collaboration's alignment with initiatives from both parties.

Afarinick, known for farm management, forest restoration, sustainable agriculture, and GIS applications, owns Ghana's largest privately-owned sustainable cocoa plantation in the Volta Region. The partnership with Meiji will likely expand Afarinick's impact in Ghana's cocoa value chain, particularly through waste and resource valorization.

The companies intend to utilize the proposed farm as a benchmark for integrating cocoa production, agroforestry, and circular resource utilization, potentially offering a framework for Ghana's cocoa sector to explore waste utilization and environmental sustainability improvements.