The site of a rice farm plagued by drought in the Volta Region.
The Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB) has revealed that rice production in the Volta Region of Ghana faces bleak consequences this year due to ongoing drought conditions which are disrupting production in some parts of the Region.
According to the body, farmers in the Akatsi North and South districts in the Volta Region have been gravely affected by poor rainfall patterns and are likely to lose their entire output for the 2021/2022 season.
“In Ketu South alone, over 700 hectares of rice have been lost to the drought. “The problem covers several areas including Kpoglu, Avalavi, Klenomadi and Avie in Ketu North, Akatsi in Akatsi South, Tongu Districts, Afadzato South District and Hohoe Municipal areas,” the President said.
This comes as a blow to the sector, which is an attempt to wean the country off rice importation by achieving self-sufficiency in production by 2025.
As if that is not enough, the affected farmers will have to wait till next year before they can earn some income.
Speaking to the reporter, President of GRIB Nana Agyei Ayeh II said some members of the farmers reached out to him to ascertain the situation and find a solution to the looming danger.
The President, together with some of the officials of the John A. Kufuor Foundation paid a working visit to the farms, and on their observation, several hectares of rice under cultivation are lost due to climate change and low levels of rainfall in these communities.
The woes of the farmers are further exacerbated by the huge investments they have already made in land preparation, seeds, and fertilizer.
However, the provisional production figures by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) indicate that about 973, 000 metric tonnes of rice were produced in Ghana in 2020. But, this figure could be hard to match in 2021 if the current situation persists.
Nana Agyei Ayeh II revealed that the existing dam structure which was built to harvest water to irrigate the farmlands is in a dire state of disrepair, leaving farmers at the mercy of the harsh weather conditions.
“We cannot continue with rain-fed agriculture. As you can see, this year, farmers have lost their investments simply because the rains failed them.
We would like to appeal to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to provide dugouts for these areas. These will aid in water conservations for the purposes of irrigation in such times like what we facing now” he added.
The Federal Government will next Tuesday host Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in Abuja for a landmark summit where the four countries will launch a historic alliance to end decades of exporting raw cocoa beans and begin negotiating with global markets as a united bloc.
The four countries, which together account for about two-thirds of global cocoa production, are expected to sign the Abuja Declaration at the Cocoa Value Addition Summit 2026 in Abuja, establishing a Cocoa Value Addition Alliance to coordinate policies, promote local processing, harmonise standards and strengthen Africa’s bargaining power in the global cocoa industry.
Nigeria will also sign a separate Cocoa Value Addition Accord, a national compact that will bring together the federal government, governors of cocoa-producing states, farmer organisations, industry groups, researchers and development finance institutions to deliver measurable improvements in cocoa processing, farmer incomes and investment.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Assistant, Media Office of the Minister of State for Industry, Odenke Ibiang in Abuja.
According to the statement, the summit, themed “From Bean to Brand,” represents a turning point for Africa’s cocoa industry as producing countries seek to retain more value from the commodity instead of exporting raw beans for processing abroad.
The statement read, “The countries that grow most of the world’s cocoa will gather in Abuja on Tuesday to declare that the century of exporting raw beans is over.
“At the Cocoa Value Addition Summit 2026, convened by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the theme From Bean to Brand, delegations of Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria will sign the Abuja Declaration, establishing a Cocoa Value Addition Alliance through which the four nations, the source of some two thirds of global cocoa production, will negotiate, set standards and engage world markets as one bloc.”
Speaking ahead of the summit, the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, said African cocoa-producing countries were determined to change a century-old trade model that has left producing nations with little economic value despite supplying most of the world’s cocoa.
“For a hundred years, Africa has sent its cocoa to the world in sacks and received it back in wrappers, paying at both ends of the transaction,” said Senator John Owan Enoh, Honourable Minister of State for Industry, who will host the Summit.
“The distance between a bean and a brand is measured in jobs and in dignity, and on Tuesday, in Abuja, four nations begin closing that distance together. We do not gather to lament the market. We gather to redesign our place in it,” he added.
The minister, who is also a cocoa farmer from Cross River State, is expected to deliver the keynote address during the summit.
According to the organisers, the newly proposed alliance will enable the four countries to negotiate collectively with international buyers, coordinate industry standards and adopt common positions on issues affecting the global cocoa trade.
One of the immediate priorities of the alliance will be the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation, which comes into effect for large and medium-sized operators on December 30, 2026.
Under the regulation, cocoa exported into the European Union must be fully traceable to individual farms, with proof that production did not contribute to deforestation.
The alliance is expected to adopt a unified position calling for recognition of national traceability systems while insisting that the cost of compliance should not be transferred to smallholder farmers.
The statement noted that the summit comes at a particularly volatile period for the global cocoa industry, with international prices fluctuating sharply over the past 18 months.
It observed that global cocoa prices surged to record highs above $11,000 per tonne before falling to about $3,000 per tonne and later recovering to around $5,000 per tonne, creating uncertainty for producers and exposing farmers to severe income fluctuations.
As part of Nigeria’s commitments, the Cocoa Value Addition Accord will establish measurable targets for expanding domestic cocoa processing, increasing farmers’ earnings, attracting new investments and strengthening the country’s cocoa value chain.
Implementation of the agreement will be supervised by a delivery council chaired by the Minister of State for Industry, while progress reports will be published annually to ensure transparency and accountability.
The summit will also feature goodwill messages from the Ghana Cocoa Board and Côte d’Ivoire’s Le Conseil du Café-Cacao.
A special financing session involving the Bank of Industry, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending and other development finance institutions is also expected to produce major financing announcements for the cocoa industry.
Participants will equally receive updates on the construction of what is expected to become Nigeria’s largest cocoa processing facility, a 70,000-metric-tonne processing plant being developed by Sunbeth Global Concepts in Sagamu, Ogun State, which is scheduled for commissioning in 2027.
The Cocoa Value Addition Summit 2026 is being organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment through the Office of the Minister of State for Industry, with the Bank of Industry serving as co-convener.
The statement added that the event forms part of the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Policy under the Tinubu administration, which identifies agro-industrial value addition as a key strategy for economic diversification, industrialisation, export expansion and job creation.
Nigeria is the world’s fourth-largest cocoa producer after Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia, while Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana together account for more than half of global production.
Despite producing most of the world’s cocoa beans, African countries earn only a fraction of the value generated by the global chocolate industry because the bulk of processing, manufacturing and branding takes place in Europe and other developed economies.
The proposed Cocoa Value Addition Alliance is expected to reverse that trend by encouraging greater local processing, expanding manufacturing capacity, improving farmers’ incomes and increasing Africa’s share of the global cocoa value chain.
Five hundred and six (506) Feed Ghana Brigadiers, trained agricultural officers with advanced qualifications in agriculture who received stringent training at the Ghana Police Training School with their motorbikes, have been deployed to assist in resetting Ghana’s agriculture for food security.
At the passing out ceremony, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, referred to the Brigadiers as the birth of a new national force for agricultural transformation.
According to the Minister, the Feed Ghana Programme requires officers who are punctual, accountable, physically and mentally fit, mission-oriented, and ready to serve in every district of this country.
“Agriculture itself requires discipline. A farmer cannot plant at the wrong time and expect the right harvest. A livestock farmer cannot neglect feeding and health and expect productivity. A coordinator cannot submit false reports and expect successful implementation. A brigadier cannot abandon the field and expect transformation,” he explained.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, explained the need for an agric officer to be disciplined in the line of duty
He commended the Ghana Police Service for supporting to instil discipline, order, punctuality, and a sense of duty among the Brigadiers to exhibit them in the various districts in the line of duty.
To satisfy the curiosity of some Ghanaians on why the Feed Ghana Brigadiers were trained at the Ghana Police Training School and not in our Agricultural Colleges, the Minister said it was to build discipline, strengthen teamwork, develop resilience, instil respect for authority, and prepare them for field service under pressure.
He underscored the ministry’s commitment to the Brigadiers by conveying the necessary operational and technical orientations, the objectives of the Feed Ghana Programme, the implementation arrangements and the specific roles that they are expected to perform in the districts.
He charged the Brigadiers to be the ambassadors of production, discipline, hard work, and national renewal; however issued a stern caution not to be defiant to the District Agriculture Directors.
The Brigadiers, ready to be deployed to various districts to assist in resetting Ghana’s agriculture for food security.
“The District Director of Agriculture remains the head of the Ministry’s operations at the district level, and I expect every Coordinator to respect that authority and work within the established chain of command. Success will come through cooperation, not competition; coordination, not duplication; and teamwork, not parallel structures,” he cautioned.
He urged the Brigadiers to stay humble, and work as servants under the farmers, strengthen the existing system, but not to replace it, and support the District Directors and the extension officers to be able to deliver the objectives of the Feed Ghana Programme effectively, professionally, and melodiously.
“My dear Brigadiers, you are stepping into your roles at a defining moment. The country, farmers, the government, families, and above all, Ghana, expect much from you. You must therefore serve with humility, discipline, honesty, patriotism, and urgency,” he encouraged them.
The Brigadiers on their motorbikes, displaying their readiness to carry out the task assigned to them by the nation
Hon. Eric Opoku, Minister of Agric, presenting the organic fertilizers to the PFAG
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana has officially commenced the distribution of the 40,000 bags of fertilizers that were distributed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku.
The 40,000 fertilisers are to supplement the initial ones that were distributed as part of the Feed Ghana Program’s commitment to supporting farmer groups with essential agricultural inputs.
“We are grateful to the Minister for fulfilling his promise and the timely delivery of this fertilizer. It comes at a critical time in the planting season, and we are confident it will make a meaningful difference in the yields of our members,” the Executive Director of PFAG, Mr. Bismark Owusu Nortey expressed the Association’s gratitude to the Minister.
According to Mr. Nortey, following the delivery of the fertilizers, the Association’s national executives have developed structured modalities to ensure equitable and transparent distribution to its members across all operational districts.
Regarding the distributions, the Association stated that the fertilizers have been allocated to each region based on district-level membership figures, ensuring a proportionate, needs-based allocation.
The Association operates in all sixteen (16) regions of Ghana, with active regional representatives or focal persons in twelve (12) regions. The remaining four regions will be merged with adjacent operational regions to guarantee full geographic coverage.
To qualify for fertilizer under this distribution, beneficiary farmers must be card-bearing members of PFAG and should be in good standing. The Association’s membership exceeds 500,000 farmers, and the national executives have established clear and fair eligibility criteria to guide the selection process at the district level.
Mr. Nortey mentioned that PFAG is using the approach to call for the continued adoption of the farmer group distribution model. He described it as the most effective and accountable approach to input delivery.
He urged the government to extend this model of distribution to other agricultural inputs and services and called for direct support to enable farmer groups to aggregate and supply food produce to state institutions.
He further called on the government to put in place adequate market support measures, noting that with timely fertilizer supply and favourable weather conditions, PFAG expects improved yields this season and anticipates that farmers will have ready access to viable markets for their produce.
Currently, Ghana’s import bill is around $3billion annually. To mitigate importation, create more employment, and improve the living standard of the farmers, the government, through the hardworking agric Minister with the auspices of Feed Ghana Project, is constructing the biggest irrigation project in West Africa at Afram Plains to ensure year-round production of food crops.
The hardworking Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has paid a working visit to inspect the ongoing irrigation projects at Afram Plains to assess the 96% and 85% completion of the projects to ensure national food security.
A Visit to Kwahu Chiefs During the visit, the Minister paid homage to both the Kwahu Nkwatia and Kwahu Abetifi chiefs to seek permission to enter the land and their prayers and support to make the journey and the project a success.
The Chiefs warmly welcomed the Minister and gladly said the lands are available for production, but without sowing, there cannot be a harvest.
“We have the lands available, where the irrigation project has been built, all for us. We are happy this project is taking effect; it will bring employment to the youth at the Afram Plains”, the Chiefs added.
They commended the government and the agric minister for the project that seeks to irrigate the farms all year-round to ensure food security in the country.
They assure the minister of their support and commitment to the project for the benefit of Ghanaian youth.
Ekyeamamfrom Economic Enclave Irrigation Project The Minister continued his visit to Ekyeamamfrom Economic Enclave Irrigation Project. The project was 85% complete for use.
According to the consultant, the project could irrigate eight hundred (850) and fifty acres of land that could serve thousands of farmers at the enclave. Hon. Minister was fascinated by the amount of water that the scheme could provide to the farmers.
Irrespective of the size of the project, the Minister is willing to add more land for more pivots and pumps to be constructed.
Questioning the total completion of the scheme to be used by the farmers, the consultant assured that the earliest the project can be completed is August, and the worst time is early September this year.
Challenges at the Ekyeamamfrom Economic Enclave Irrigation Project The consultant raised two critical issues regarding the completion of the project. He mentioned that certificates for payment have been raised, but the government has been able to pay only 40%; therefore, they are short of funds.
Again, the issue of Fulani herdsmen is very disturbing to the project. According to the consultant, the government needs to evacuate the Fulani with their cattle from the enclave. He explained that the Abetifi Traditional Council has had discussions with the Fulani herdsmen and has located them a place for resettlement; therefore, it’s left to the government to evacuate the herdsmen to the location.
Response by the Minister In response to these challenges, the Minister assured him that he would follow up with the Ministry of Finance to ensure prompt payment to complete the project on time for the farmers to ensure production all year round.
He called the District Chief Executive to arrange for the evacuation of the Fulani from the project location to the place allocated.
Konadu Economic Enclave Irrigation Project Proceeding to the Konadu Irrigation Project, the project is 96% completed according to the consultant. He said the project would be completed and handed over to be used in November this year. The Konadu Irrigation Project is the biggest irrigation facility in West Africa.
Challenges at the Irrigation Site The consultant said the completion time is near, but the officers to be trained to use the facility are not at their disposal.
He mentioned that there particular building that is blocking seven pivots from irrigating the farms and that needs to be demolished. Again, he underscored the challenges that the project is facing at the hands of the Fulani herdsmen.
Lastly, illegal timber loggers are causing destruction to the roads that have been constructed in the irrigation site. The timber loggers plough the road to illegally transport the timber logs to their destination.
Minister’s Response to the Challenges Minister called the DCE to immediately assist in demolishing the building that has blocked the pivots from irrigating 360 degrees.
Moreover, he urged the DCE to facilitate the evacuation of the Fulani herdsmen from the project site to the allocated land.
To the illegal loggers, the Minister said the DCE should coordinate with the police to arrest the drivers who use the farm roads as their route. He urged the DEC to construct a checkpoint at the entrance and the exit of the farm road to monitor the accessibility of the various vehicles that use the road.
Minister’s observations and remarks on the visit to the Irrigation project. “Generally, we are impressed with what we have seen so far, except that the work is not completed. We all hope that by November, the entire facility will be ready,” the minister commended.
He urged them to make arrangements with the officers for the consultant to train in order to facilitate the use of the facility.
He noted that the government and the ministry are not interested in the materials in the field, but rather the services that can be rendered to the people of Ghana after committing their resources to the government.
He urged them to work assiduously to complete the operationalization for the Ghanaian farmers and to safeguard food security in the country.
He commended the Abetifi Traditional Council for its commitment to the project. He urged the council to assist with the security issues in the enclave, especially with the Fulani herdsmen, the encroaching buildings, and the timber logging.
The 42nd Farmers Day Celebration has been launched at the forecourt of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with 4th December as the celebration day in Sunyani, the Bono Region.
This year’s Farmers Day, with the theme Our Farmers, Our Food, Our Future, seeks to recognise the hardworking farmers, fishers, processors, extension officers, researchers, agribusinesses and all actors who sacrifice to sustain Ghana’s food systems and strengthen the economy.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, espoused why the celebration is not just a celebration of agriculture but a celebration of national life.
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, explaining the significance of the Farmers’ Day Celebration during the launch
“Every grain of rice, every tuber of yam, every basket of tomato, every crate of eggs, every kilogramme of fish, every litre of milk and every cocoa pod is a product of labour, patience, risk and hope. Behind the food on our tables is a farmer who woke up before sunrise. Behind our markets is a fisher who faced the sea. Behind our agro-industries is a producer who believed that Ghana could feed itself and feed others”, he extolled.
Undeniably, agriculture remains the foundation of Ghana’s development that gives meaning to the national aspiration for inclusive growth.
No country has achieved true transformation by neglecting agriculture, and no nation can secure its future while depending helplessly on others for the food it can produce. With this, the government is poised to make agriculture attractive and reliable for youth and the industry and dependable for the nation.
Some of the stakeholders at the launch
Deducing the meaning of the theme, the Minister explained that the meaning of the theme signifies that Ghana’s development will not be imported, food security will not be outsourced, and the future will be built by the strength of its own people, beginning with the farmer.
As is already known, the Farmers’ Day Celebration will be preceded by a weeklong agrifair with a series of activities that will build farmers’ capacity in all sectors of the agriculture industry. The last day would be climaxed by the awards to reward farmers who have diligently worked for the betterment of the nation.
He called on the various institutions, corporate organizations, agro-industries, development partners, and the general public to contribute to the organization to reward our special people who make life possible by providing food for Ghanaians every blessed day.
Farmers’ Day is a day set aside by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to reward the intrepid farmers who have toiled to provide food for Ghanaians.
This year marks the 42nd of the Farmers’ Day Celebration. To ensure absolute inclusion the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is inviting Corporate Ghana, Development partners, Donor Agencies, Financial Institutions, Agribusinesses and other key stakeholders to the official launch.
The launch will be held at the forecourt of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on Tuesday 30th June, 2026 at 10:00am.
In a press release issued by the Ministry, the Ministry will unveil the theme for the 42nd edition, announce the host region, outline the programme of activities and provide details on award categories and other key arrangements.
According to the release, the launch will highlight sponsorship and partnership opportunities for interested organisations or stakeholders who are willing to support.
As Ghana continues to pursue sustainable agricultural growth, food security, job creation and value addition, the press release reads the Ministry recognizes the important role played by the private sector and development partners.
“Your support does not only honor the efforts of farmers and value chain actors but also contributes to building a stronger and more resilient agricultural sector”, the release states.
The Ministry urges all organisations and partners to partake in the launch and take advantage of the opportunities for engagement and partnership.
The Ministry calls all to celebrate both the individuals and institutions whose efforts continue to feed the nation and drive agricultural transformation in Ghana.
Seven members out of nine have been sworn in as members of the National Seed Council. The members appointed by the President of the Republic of Ghana have been sworn in by the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. John Dumelo.
During the inauguration, the Hon. Dumelo charged the members to be dedicated and committed to serving the nation, Ghana, for the farmers to get good seeds.
He mentioned that with good fertilizers, irrigation, and mechanisation, if the seeds are not good, the farmers would work in vain; hence, seed is critical to the whole agricultural value chain.
“If you look at the Seed situation in Ghana, you will realise that we are trying as much as possible to reduce Seed importation and to certify home-grown Ghanaian seeds, and that is where the Council comes in, specifically”, he reiterated Ghana’s position on seed development.
Hon. John Dumelo, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, swearing in the members of the National Seed Council.
He urged the council members to expedite the seed application to expedite the certification process for the home-grown Ghanaian companies to the market.
With government intervention like the farmer service centres and the other policies to transform the agriculture sector, seed is key, and with the right seed, Ghana’s agriculture would be in the right direction.
He commended the members for taking it upon themselves to work assiduously to enhance good-quality seeds for the farmers.
The Chairman of the National Seed Council, Alhaji Abubakari Mumuni, expressed the members’ gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for the opportunity to serve on the National Seed Council.
He mentioned that the Council would work closely with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to eliminate all infiltrated seeds in the system to get the certified seeds for the country.
He assured of their dedication and readiness to work hard to live up to the expectation.
Ghana’s next major export opportunity may not come from another gold mine, oil field or traditional commodity boom. It may come from avocado.
Avocado offers Ghana more than a farming opportunity. It offers a test of whether the country has finally learned how to turn raw production into industrial wealth.
The old commodity trap
For decades, Ghana has produced raw commodities while other countries captured the greater value through processing, branding, manufacturing and global distribution. Cocoa remains the clearest example. Ghana produces one of the world’s most important cocoa beans, yet the larger value in chocolate, beverages, cosmetics and processed cocoa products is created elsewhere.
Gold, timber and crude oil have followed a similar pattern. Ghana produces. Others refine. Others package. Others brand. Others earn the bigger margins.
Breaking the cycle
Avocado gives Ghana a chance to break that cycle — but only if the country treats it as an industrial value chain, not just another farming activity.
The €2 billion value chain and job opportunity
With about 150,000 acres under structured commercial cultivation, Ghana’s avocado value chain could generate between €1.5 billion and €2 billion annually and this could create more than 150000 direct and indirect jobs across farming, nurseries, irrigation, harvest, processing, exports and support services. That would also place avocado among the country most important non-traditional export opportunities, with the potential to create jobs, support factories, attract investment and strengthen foreign exchange earnings.
A 35-YEAR REVENUE COMPARISON
A well-managed cocoa investment may generate annual revenue of about $4,000 to $7,000, with a 35-year revenue potential of roughly $140,000 to $245,000. Cocoa will remain central to Ghana’s economy, but its earnings are still heavily exposed to global commodity prices and limited local value addition.
Oil palm offers stronger industrial use. A commercial oil palm investment may generate about $6,000 to $10,000 annually, with lifetime revenue of about $150,000 to $300,000 over a productive life of 25 to 30 years.
Residential real estate, often regarded as a safe investment, also tells an interesting story. A $100,000 residential property earning about $300 a month would generate about $3,600 a year and roughly $126,000 over 35 years, before maintenance, taxes, repairs and vacancy costs. Avocado changes the comparison.
A commercial avocado orchard supported by modern production systems could generate annual revenue of about $15,000 to $30,000, with lifetime revenue potential of about $525,000 to $1.05 million over 35 years.
That means avocado could generate several times the long-term cash flow of a comparable rental property, outperform cocoa and oil palm on revenue potential, and still support a wider industrial economy beyond the farm.
The point is not that Ghana should abandon cocoa, oil palm or real estate. Each has a place in wealth creation. The point is that avocado deserves serious national attention because it can combine what many other assets do separately
FEED THE INDUSTRIES
Avocado can generate farm income, processing activity, factory jobs, export revenue, cosmetic inputs, health products, animal feed, branded goods and long-term rural wealth. That is why the fruit itself is not the prize.
The real prize is the value chain.
Fresh avocado exports may open the market, but they should not become the final ambition. Ghana must not build another raw commodity story around avocado. If the country only exports fresh fruits for others to process, package and brand, it will repeat the same mistake it made with cocoa and other commodities.
The stronger opportunity lies in processing. Avocado farms must feed factories. Those factories must produce premium avocado oil, skincare ingredients, food products, nutraceutical inputs, animal feed and export-ready brands for regional and international markets.
There is also room for new financing models, including tree-crop investment platforms and tokenisation, to allow institutional investors, the diaspora and retail investors to participate in productive agricultural assets.
If properly organized, avocado can become the anchor of a wider exotic crops economy built around macadamia, citrus, coconut, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, cashew and other high-value crops. Over the next 10 to 15 years, such an economy could generate €3 billion to €4.5 billion annually in export revenues and support hundreds of thousands of jobs.
That would make exotic crops a serious economic pillar for Ghana.
BEYOND AGRICULTURE
Avocado is not simply an agricultural opportunity. It is an industrial opportunity. It is an export opportunity. It is a youth employment opportunity. It is a rural transformation opportunity. Most importantly, it is an opportunity for Ghana to stop exporting potential and start exporting value.
Ghana has enough examples of raw commodity regret.
Agribusiness entrepreneur and founder of Ideal Providence Farms, Georgina Koomson has advised young people interested in agriculture to approach the sector with innovation, strategic planning and patience, stressing that farming extends far beyond traditional perceptions of manual labour.
Speaking on Joy-Agri Business Month, Georgina Koomson noted that one of the first decisions aspiring farmers must make is identifying the specific area of agriculture they intend to venture into.
“You have to know first what you want to grow because farming is big and farming is not just tilling the land,” she said.
According to her, agriculture offers a wide range of opportunities, and success in the sector depends largely on understanding the value chain and choosing the right niche.
She explained that prospective farmers must study the geographical areas most suitable for particular crops, since environmental conditions significantly influence productivity.
“You have to know the area that you want to produce because each area has a specific crop that works well there,” she stated.
Ms. Koomson also challenged the widespread notion that farming simply involves clearing weeds and cultivating land, insisting that modern agriculture demands creativity and business acumen.
“You have to be innovative, you have to have proper branding. People think farming is just weeding. No, it goes beyond that,” she emphasised.
The agribusiness entrepreneur further encouraged young entrants into the agricultural sector to begin on a manageable scale rather than investing heavily from the onset.
“I always tell them that start small and expand,” she said.
While acknowledging that entrepreneurs often develop ambitious business projections, she cautioned that reality may not always align with expectations.
“They might have projections and sometimes you might have very good projections and it doesn’t work,” she added.
Georgina Koomson’s remarks highlight the growing call for a shift in the perception of agriculture from subsistence activity to a modern, innovation-driven business capable of creating sustainable livelihoods and transforming economies.
The Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on it fifth anniversary has pledged to transform Ghana’s oil palm industry from smallholder farms into processing giants.
The bank said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that a crop cultivated in the country for generations became a major driver of industrial growth, job creation and exports, while increasing the production and consumption of locally grown and processed palm oil.
Speaking at the media launch in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of DBG, Professor Randolph Nsor-Ambala, said the bank’s work was anchored on promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
“At DBG, we are focused on enabling businesses to grow, scale up and contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s economic transformation. Our journey over the past five years reflects a strong commitment to impact and partnership”, he said.
Prof. Nsor-Ambala noted that the bank continued to collaborate with financial institutions and development partners to expand access to credit, particularly for underserved segments of the economy.
As part of its forward strategy, he said DBG would deepen its reach, strengthen partnerships and scale up its impact in priority sectors.
“We will double down on women. More than half of everything we have financed has reached businesses led by women, and we are nowhere near done. The years ahead will bring financing deliberately designed around women entrepreneurs.
“We will also push far beyond this capital city. Development that stops at the edge of Accra is development postponed, and we intend to see our financing at work in all 16 regions of Ghana,” he stated.
Prof. Nsor-Ambala said the bank would continue to work with its development partners to finance Ghana’s green transition and support clean energy and climate-smart industries.
Since its establishment in November 2021, he said DBG had played a pivotal role in addressing long-standing financing gaps by providing long-term funding to participating financial institutions (PFIs), enabling increased lending to key sectors of the economy and fostering sustainable development.
Over the past five years, Prof. Nsor-Ambala indicated that the bank had supported businesses in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and services, contributing to job creation, improved productivity and economic resilience.
According to him, DBG had so far invested GH¢2.5 billion in 997 enterprises across the country through 21 participating financial institutions.
Drawing parallels with successful development banks around the world, Prof Nsor-Ambala said Germany established KfW in 1948 to help rebuild the country after the devastation of war by financing homes, factories and power infrastructure.
“Nearly 80 years later, KfW has become one of the largest development banks in the world and today stands as a partner behind this institution,” he said.
He also cited the example of Singapore, which established the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) in 1968 to support its industrialisation agenda, indicating that “Today, the world knows it simply as DBS, the largest bank in Southeast Asia and one of the most respected banks globally.”
“We intend to walk the same road. Our ambition is to complete each assignment and take on more challenging responsibilities until Ghana has a banking system that finances development as a matter of course in every region and for every serious enterprise,” he said.
