How The Hunger Project’s Ghana Epicenters Reduce Child Labour Risks
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2026/03/16
The Hunger Project (THP) is a global nonprofit founded in 1977 that works to sustainably end hunger and poverty by building community-led, women-centered systems for self-reliance. THP does not provide short-term relief; rather it partners with communities to strengthen governance systems, improve agriculture and health outcomes, expand education and increase household incomes.
In Ghana, where it has operated since 1996, the organization works through its Epicenter Strategy – a model that brings clusters of villages together to coordinate services, leadership development and economic initiatives. The strategy emphasizes women’s leadership, measurable results and strong accountability systems to ensure communities sustain progress independently over time.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen interviewed The Hunger Project on Ghana’s Epicenter Strategy, showing how women-led governance and savings groups can block pathways from cocoa income shocks to child labour. The Supriso epicenter uses VCA workshops, literacy sensitization, and strong school–community accountability to keep children in class, supported by Free Compulsory Basic Education. A 2025 household survey reported 93% attendance among ages 4–18 and 98% primary enrolment. THP also links farmer cooperatives, “farming as a business” training, and climate-smart sanitation—mass pruning, weed control, barrier crops, and cocoa-free zones—to higher yields, resilience, and bargaining power. Evaluation tracks access, gains, behaviour change, and livelihoods.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What are the pathways of linking cocoa household income constraints to child labour?
The Hunger Project: Income constraints in cocoa-producing households can increase the risk of child labour. When households cannot afford hired labour, children may be drawn into farm activities such as land preparation, weeding and harvesting. Price volatility and climate variability further reduce household earnings, sometimes leading families to prioritize farm survival over schooling.
The Hunger Project-Ghana’s intervention has however supported the development of cocoa in its implementation areas, including the Supriso epicenter. Below are some of the interventions that have prevented child labour in the Supriso epicenter.
- Through participation in the VCA workshops, Joyce, Racheal, and Janet developed a strong understanding of the importance of keeping their wards in school and deliberately avoiding children’s involvement in farm labour.
- In Supreso communities, almost all children of school-going age are enrolled and attend school, reflecting sustained community sensitization on the value of education. THP has consistently embarked on literacy and education sensitization whilst promoting responsible parenting and enhancing the relationship between schools and communities.
III. Ghana’s Free Compulsory Basic Education policy is fully operational, particularly in rural areas, significantly reducing education-related financial barriers for cocoa households.
- Assembly Members actively collaborate with School Management Committees to ensure that all children of school-going age are enrolled and retained in school.
Although income constraints in cocoa households can lead to child labour these pathways are effectively blocked in the Supreso communities. The awareness creation through VCA workshops, and strong local governance structures ensure that children remain in school.
Jacobsen: Following from the previous question, what about reduced school attendance?
The Hunger Project: Since children are no longer involved in child labour within cocoa farming households, school attendance has improved significantly. As women’s economic resilience has strengthened, they are better able to support their children’s educational needs. A 2025 household survey conducted in the Supriso Epicenter found that 93% of children aged 4–18 years are currently attending school, with particularly strong enrolment at the primary level, reaching 98%. These results reflect both improved household stability and sustained community emphasis on education.
Jacobsen: Which women-focused interventions show measurable association with improved child educational outcomes?
The Hunger Project: Women’s participation in local savings and investment programmes within their communities has increased significantly. This growth is linked to the mindset shift fostered through VCA workshops, which have provided women with a renewed sense of hope, a strong “can-do” attitude, and greater resilience.
With increased savings and income diversification, women are better positioned to cover school fees-related expenses (uniforms, school supplies, transportation) and ensure consistent school attendance. The measurable outcomes include improved enrollment rates, higher attendance and reduced reliance on child labour.
Jacobsen: How does organizing farmers into groups change bargaining power?
The Hunger Project: Farmer organization into cooperatives or farmer-based groups strengthens collective bargaining power. Acting as a group enables farmers to negotiate better prices, reduce exploitation by middlemen and coordinate bulk sales.
Collective marketing increases price transparency and allows farmers to secure more competitive and fair market terms. Group structures also improve access to training, financial services and quality inputs.
Jacobsen: Which climate stressors contribute to yield loss?
The Hunger Project: The negative effects of climate change coupled with lack of technology among rural farmers, exposes their crops to drought, extreme heat, flooding, and erratic rainfall patterns thereby causing yield loss. These climate variabilities also create favorable conditions for pests and pathogens to thrive, thereby affecting yield.
Jacobsen: Which farm sanitation and disease management practices produce the largest reduction in disease?
The Hunger Project: Several key practices significantly reduce cocoa disease prevalence:
- Mass pruning: Farmers strategically trim cocoa trees and shade canopies to improve sunlight exposure and airflow. This practice significantly reduces the spread of fungal diseases like Black Pod.
- Weed control: Timely weeding reduces the humidity at the base of the trees and eliminates habitats for pests and may cause diseases.
III. Barrier cropping: Planting a 10-meter barrier of non-host crops (e.g. citrus, oil palm) around new cocoa farm can reduce crop infections
- Leaving a 10-meter cocoa-free zone around newly planted cocoa helps prevent the “jump spread” of infected mealybugs.
When implemented consistently, these practices significantly improve crop health and yield.
Jacobsen: How are digital learning tools evaluated for impacts?
The Hunger Project: At The Hunger Project-Ghana, the core of everything we do is about transformation. When it comes to the roll out of digital learning tools, our focus goes beyond usage but by transformation. The evaluation of digital tools for impact borders on access, knowledge acquisition, behavioral change and livelihood improvement. Beyond the introduction of the digital tools, THP takes interest in how community members are using the digital facilities by tracking attendance, user registration, etc. When it comes to training community partners, we conduct pre and post training assessments aimed at measuring digital literacy and how it is impacting on agricultural knowledge and financial literacy. The expectation is that these will be demonstrated through behavioural change in the utilization of new skills like the application of improved practices, increased savings, and marketing strategies.
The overall impact is therefore measured in increased crop yields, improved income levels, enhanced social participation of women in decision making, household resilience, etc. These are measured through surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews.
Jacobsen: When ”farming as a business” training is provided, which competencies sustained income gains?
The Hunger Project: The competencies most strongly associated with sustained income gains include:
- Record keeping; Farmers are trained to keep a basic record of their farm business, e.g. tracking expenditure versus income to calculate actual profit but not just measuring volume.
- Financial Literacy and Savings: Establishing a saving culture through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) or local banks to build capital and manage risks.
III. Value addition and branding: Farmers are taken through skills in processing eg. turning raw produce into finished products. They are also taught on how to package their products to attract more customers and increase market value.
- Market Planning: Understanding pricing cycles and negotiating strategically.
These competencies strengthen farmers’ capacity to treat agriculture as a business enterprise rather than solely a subsistence activity.
Jacobsen: Thank you very much for the opportunity and your time.
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