In Ghana’s Bibiani district, growing tensions between cocoa farmers and small-scale gold miners have highlighted the urgent need for dialogue and more sustainable land use solutions. To address these challenges, partners under the Shared Ground project convened a four-day social dialogue and training workshop in November, marking a critical step toward strengthening peace, resilience and sustainability across both sectors.
The Shared Ground project is a one-year initiative led by Pact and funded by the Chocolonely Foundation, with support from Solidaridad West Africa and the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association. The project focuses on preventing conflict and promoting cooperation in areas where cocoa farming and gold mining intersect, two sectors that have long underpinned livelihoods and export earnings in southern Ghana.
Cocoa farming and artisanal gold mining have coexisted for centuries, but recent years have seen rising pressures driven by expanding small-scale mining activities, increased foreign investment and record gold prices. Much of this mining remains informal, and weak practices have contributed to environmental degradation, damage to cocoa farms and contamination of local water sources, intensifying frustrations among farmers and communities.
Conflict analysis conducted by the project revealed that compensation agreements between miners, landowners and local authorities are often arranged after mining activities have already begun, leaving farmers with limited recourse once damage has occurred. While these disputes have not yet escalated into widespread violence, low levels of trust and limited direct communication between farmers and miners have increased the risk of future conflict.
The November workshop brought together cocoa farmers, gold miners and local authorities in Asawinso ‘A’ to openly discuss grievances, validate conflict analysis findings and build mutual understanding. Structured social dialogue sessions enabled participants to explore the root causes of disputes and begin rebuilding trust, creating a foundation for collaborative problem-solving.
To ground discussions in local realities, participants took part in a participatory land use mapping exercise, identifying farms, mine sites, infrastructure, forests and areas of overlap using satellite imagery. This process helped all stakeholders visualise competing land uses and better understand how their activities affect one another.
The workshop also included targeted technical training delivered separately to farmers and miners. Gold miners strengthened their understanding of sustainable mine planning, legal compliance, safety standards and mercury-free processing, while cocoa farmers received training on land tenure laws, land rehabilitation and climate-smart cocoa production practices to protect yields and ecosystems.
Building on improved dialogue and technical knowledge, participants jointly developed a Sustainable Cohabitation Action Plan outlining agreed actions, responsibilities and next steps to promote peaceful and sustainable land use. The plan will be piloted in 2026 with continued monitoring and technical support from project partners to ensure accountability and adaptive learning.
Early signs suggest the approach is already yielding positive results, with farmers and miners reporting improved communication and locally agreed mechanisms for resolving disputes without resorting to legal action. By demonstrating the power of inclusive dialogue and participatory land use planning, the Shared Ground project aims to inspire similar peacebuilding and sustainability efforts across Ghana.
