Partners: Beyond Beans
Period: 2025 –
Country of operation: Cocoa-growing regions, Ghana
Category: Community development, Cocoa Sector
Project Snapshot
In Ghana, the Nestlé Income Accelerator Programme (IAP) focuses on improving the livelihoods of cocoa-farming families through the formation and restructuring of VSLA groups. The programme also advances regenerative agriculture practices and promotes income diversification, working in tandem with four pillars: school enrolment, pruning, agroforestry, and income diversification.
Project Objectives
Main Goal: Empower cocoa-farming families through income diversification and financial literacy, while supporting sustainable agriculture practices.
Specific Objectives:
Form and restructure VSLA groups to support income diversification in cocoa-growing communities.
Promote gender equality and financial inclusion through GALS training.
Facilitate the implementation of IAP’s four pillars: school enrolment, pruning, agroforestry, and income diversification.
PDA’s Task
PDA was responsible for forming and restructuring VSLA groups to align with the IAP’s income diversification goals, as well as training field officers and sensitizing communities on the programme’s benefits.
How We Are Going About It
Seven PDA field officers were trained to implement the IAP in Ghana, focusing on VSLA formation and restructuring.
Field officers engaged beneficiaries in cocoa-growing communities to promote the formation and restructuring of VSLA groups and support the implementation of the programme’s four pillars.
A three-day learning workshop was organised by Beyond Beans, bringing together all implementing partners under the project to share experiences, lessons, and progress. PDA has also submitted a two-year proposal for consideration as part of continued engagement under the programme.
The project has been extended into a second phase with a strong focus on women’s economic empowerment. This phase introduces financial literacy and entrepreneurship training to strengthen household financial management, as well as Income Generating Activity (IGA) support to enable beneficiaries to diversify income sources beyond cocoa farming.
The project reached approximately 4,000 beneficiaries across Nsokote and Bekwai.
