Accra: The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has committed to further support the burgeoning coconut industry in Ghana, emphasizing the use of innovative technology to foster economic transformation and create employment opportunities. This announcement came during the fourth International Coconut Festival held in Accra, which started on Monday. According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, CEO of GEPA, highlighted the significant potential of the coconut industry in contributing to job creation and substantial foreign exchange earnings for the country. "To maintain and expand our presence in the global market, we must embrace innovation across the value chain by adopting modern farming techniques and improved seed varieties to advanced processing technologies and creative products development," Dr. Asabea Asare explained. The festival, themed 'Empowering Lives through Coconut: Innovation, Employment and Sustainable Livelihoods,' is a collaborative effort between GEPA and the Tree Crop Develo pment Authority (TCDA). It serves as a crucial platform for stakeholders from various sectors, including farmers, students, researchers, and policymakers, to discuss the opportunities within the coconut sector and explore its economic potential. During the event, GEPA reported that it had distributed one million improved coconut seedlings to farmers in the Volta, Western, and Central regions to enhance crop yield. The three-day event, which concludes on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, also features an exhibition showcasing a variety of coconut products at the Accra International Conference Centre. Dr. Asabea Asare shared that Ghana is currently the top coconut exporter in Africa and ranks 12th globally. In 2022, Ghana earned $15 billion from coconut exports and projects to increase this to $25.3 billion by 2029. "GEPA is happy to be driving this coconut agenda in close collaboration with the African Coconut Group and the Tree Crop Development Authority with support from Solidaridad and the Ghana Import and Exp ort Bank," she stated. The CEO also emphasized the cultural and economic importance of coconuts in Ghana, referring to them as the 'tree of life' due to their vast applications across various industries such as food, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and construction. Furthermore, Dr. Asabea Asare recalled the launch of the coconut revitalization intervention by GEPA in 2017 aimed at reviving the ailing industry and meeting the global demand for coconuts. Since then, GEPA has made significant investments in the sector, distributing over a million disease-tolerant seedlings and generating approximately 350,000 jobs within the coconut value chain. "The future of the coconut industry lies in sustainability. We must ensure that the growth of the industry benefits everyone, from the farmers cultivating the crops to the consumers who enjoy the final products," she affirmed. Dr. Asabea Asare concluded by stating that promoting environmentally friendly practices and fair trade will ensure the long-term succes s of the industry while enhancing the livelihoods of all stakeholders involved.