Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)

The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) is the premier agricultural research institution dedicated to cocoa, coffee, and sheanut research in West Africa. Established in 1938 and based in Tafo, Eastern Region, CRIG operates under the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and has been instrumental in developing high-yielding, disease-resistant cocoa varieties that sustain Ghana's status as one of the world's top cocoa producers. The institute conducts cutting-edge research in plant breeding, pathology, entomology, agronomy, and post-harvest technology.

CRIG was founded in 1938 during the colonial era as the West African Cocoa Research Institute to combat the devastating swollen shoot virus disease that threatened Ghana's cocoa industry. After independence, it was renamed and reorganized under Ghanaian management, becoming a center of excellence for tropical cash crop research. Over eight decades, CRIG has developed numerous improved cocoa varieties and agricultural practices that have been adopted across Ghana and other cocoa-producing nations in West Africa.

• CRIG develops high-yielding hybrid cocoa varieties that can produce up to three times more than traditional varieties
• The institute operates multiple research substations across Ghana's cocoa-growing regions including Bunso, Bole, and Edubia
• CRIG scientists provide training and extension services to thousands of cocoa farmers annually to improve farming practices
• The institute houses one of West Africa's most extensive germplasm collections of cocoa genetic material
• CRIG collaborates with international research organizations including IITA, CIRAD, and World Cocoa Foundation