Across communities in Bibiani, Sankore, Goaso, and Kasapin, Swisscontact engaged directly with farmers and field officers managing DAF plots at different stages of development, from newly established farms to systems up to five years old.
Dynamic Agroforestry is designed to mirror natural forest ecosystems by combining cocoa with a diverse mix of fruit trees, timber species, food crops, and biomass-producing plants. Rather than relying on monoculture systems, DAF promotes biodiversity to naturally regulate pests, improve soil health, and enhance long-term resilience.
Field observations showed cocoa being intercropped with fruit crops such as avocado, mango, and coconut; timber species like mahogany; and food crops including cassava and maize. Biomass plants and pruning practices play a central role in maintaining soil cover, improving fertility, and reducing the need for chemical inputs.
A key strength of the Sankofa Project is its contribution to youth employment. Currently, over 100 young people are engaged as DAF workers across four districts, supporting plot establishment, pruning, and maintenance.
Through ASKI, Swisscontact is working with partners to strengthen this model by developing structured training systems, including a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme and a modular curriculum on DAF principles, nursery management, and advanced arborist skills.
However, retaining trained youth remains a challenge. Many young workers transition into other technical trades that offer more consistent income. This highlights the need to build more sustainable service models within the DAF ecosystem
One of the emerging opportunities within DAF is its potential to diversify farmers’ incomes beyond cocoa. By integrating fruit and timber crops, farmers can access new market opportunities.
Discussions are already underway with private sector actors interested in sourcing products such as almonds and cashew fruit from DAF farms. These linkages are critical to ensuring that agroforestry systems translate into tangible economic benefits for farmers.
Despite its promise, the field visit highlighted several challenges that must be addressed for DAF to scale:
Mechanisms such as linking compliance with DAF practices to Living Income Differential (LID) payments are being used to encourage adherence, but reducing costs and simplifying implementation will be critical for wider uptake.
The proposed Goaso DAF Training Hub emerged as a key opportunity to address these challenges. Planned as a five-hectare facility, the hub will serve as a center for technical training, demonstration, and knowledge exchange.
With a multi-stakeholder governance structure and management led by the Nature & Development Foundation (NDF), the hub aims to foster collaboration across producer groups, training institutions, and private sector actors.
Swisscontact and its partners see the hub as a catalyst for building local capacity, strengthening systems, and supporting long-term adoption of agroforestry practices
The visit reinforced strong alignment between ASKI and Sankofa partners, particularly in advancing youth training and capacity building. Planned collaboration areas include:
The field immersion confirmed that Dynamic Agroforestry holds significant potential to transform Ghana’s cocoa landscapes, supporting income diversification, restoring ecosystems, and creating opportunities for young people.
At the same time, it underscored that success will depend on sustained technical support, strong partnerships, and systems that respond to farmers’ realities.
Through continued collaboration with Sankofa partners, Swisscontact is committed to advancing practical, scalable solutions that enable farmers and communities to build more resilient and sustainable livelihoods.