Ghana's cocoa and cashew belts are anchored in two distinct zones: cocoa dominates the forest belt of the south and middle belt (Ashanti, Eastern, Western North, Ahafo, Bono, Volta, and parts of Central and Western regions), while cashew is concentrated in the transitional and savannah fringes of the north and middle belt — chiefly Bono East, Ahafo, Bono, Northern, Savannah, Oti, and the northern Volta areas around Krachi. **Cocoa communities.** Cocoa is Ghana's historic cash crop and the backbone of the rural forest economy. The classic cocoa districts include: - **Ashanti Region** — Kumasi surrounds, Bekwai, Obuasi, Juaso, Konongo, Ejisu, Offinso, Mampong. - **Eastern Region** — Kade, Kwaebibirem, Suhum, Nkawkaw, Asamankese, Akim Oda, New Juaben. - **Western North** — Sefwi Wiawso, Bibiani, Juaboso, Akontombra, Bodi — now Ghana's leading cocoa-producing region. - **Ahafo and Bono** — Goaso, Mim, Bechem, Sunyani, Berekum, Dormaa. - **Volta/Oti** — Hohoe, Kpando, Jasikan, Kadjebi. - **Central** — Assin Fosu, Twifo Praso, Dunkwa-on-Offin. These are the towns where the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) at Tafo, the Cocoa Marketing Board legacy structures, and licensed buying companies (COCOBOD, PBC, Olam, Cargill) have deep roots. Cocoa supports roughly 800,000 to 1 million farming households and remains Ghana's second foreign-exchange earner after gold. **Cashew communities.** Cashew (*Anacardium occidentale*) thrives in the drier transitional and Guinea savannah zones. Key producing districts: - **Bono East** — Wenchi, Techiman, Kintampo, Nkoranza, Jema. - **Ahafo** — parts of Asunafo and Tano. - **Bono** — Banda, Tain, Drobo. - **Northern and Savannah** — Yendi, Savelugu, Tamale outskirts, Damongo, Bole. - **Oti and northern Volta** — Krachi East, Nkwanta, Kpassa, Dambai. - **Upper West/Upper East** — Wa, Lawra, Bolgatanga fringes. Ghana is now one of Africa's top cashew producers, with raw cashew nuts (RCN) exported mainly to India and Vietnam. The Cashew Industry Development Council and the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) regulate the sector, and processing plants have sprung up at Wenchi, Techiman, and Tema to add value locally. **Overlap and livelihoods.** Some middle-belt districts — notably in Bono East and Ahafo — grow both crops, giving farmers a hedge: cocoa for the long-term tree investment, cashew for faster returns and drought tolerance. Both crops are overwhelmingly smallholder-driven, with farm sizes typically 1–5 hectares, and both face the same pressures: aging farmers, illegal mining (galamsey) encroaching on cocoa land, climate variability, and price volatility set largely by world markets and the government's producer price announcements. If you want, I can go deeper on any one district, on the Cocoa Producer Price for the current season, or on how the TCDA is restructuring cashew — just say which.