Ghana is advancing plans for a bold agricultural policy aimed at slashing its $2 billion annual food import bill by reducing palm oil import.
This would be achieved by significantly scaling up domestic production and diversifying into high-value tree crops.
The plan outlined in the 2025–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, includes the rollout of a National Palm Oil Industry Policy, which will support the distribution of 1.5 million oil palm seedlings to farmers.
It is also to promote large-scale out-grower plantation schemes and provide incentives to expand local processing capacity.
The initiative, dubbed the “RedGold” oil palm programme, is expected to catalyse private sector investment, create thousands of jobs across rural Ghana and aligns with the country’s import substitution and agro-industrial transformation agenda.
Despite annual consumption of over 250,000 metric tons, Ghana’s domestic palm oil production currently stands at a mere 50,000 metric tons – a development which creates a major structural gap in the edible oils market.
The new policy seeks to address this imbalance by developing a fully integrated palm oil value chain—from farm to refinery.
The palm oil strategy falls under the broader Ghana Tree Crops Diversification Project (GTCDP), which aims to boost the commercial cultivation of cashew, coconut, rubber, mango and shea, alongside oil palm, to enhance farmer incomes and generate foreign exchange.
In 2025, the government, through the Ghana Tree Crops Development Programme (GTRDP), will procure and supply 5,070,000 seedlings; comprising 2,000,000 cashew, 1,650,000 rubber, and 1,420,000 coconut—for nationwide distribution.
An additional two million seedlings will be provided, including 500,000 shea and 1,500,000 mango, targeting 500,000 farmers across the country.
The agriculture sector is set for a significant financial boost in 2025, as the government and development partners commit a combined GHS 2.9 billion to support key programmes under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to the 2025–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, the investment will primarily fund the flagship Feed Ghana programme, along with mechanisation, irrigation, livestock development and post-harvest infrastructure projects aimed at improving food security and reducing import dependence.
The financing structure shows that government resources, including Internally Generated Funds (IGF), will contribute GHS 1.61 billion (55.3%) while development partners will provide GHS 1.3 billion (44.7%).
Of the total allocation – GHS 226.6 million is earmarked for compensation of employees, GHS 1.13 billion will support goods and services with GHS 1.55 billion set aside for capital expenditure.
The funding aligns with Ghana’s broader Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA), which prioritises modernising the sector, boosting productivity, and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the value chain.
Under the same framework, government is advancing plans for a bold agricultural policy aimed at slashing its $2 billion annual palm oil import bill.
This would be achieved by significantly scaling up domestic production and diversifying into high-value tree crops.
The plan includes the rollout of a National Palm Oil Industry Policy, which will support the distribution of 1.5 million oil palm seedlings to farmers.
It is also to promote large-scale out-grower plantation schemes and provide incentives to expand local processing capacity.
The initiative, dubbed the “RedGold” oil palm programme, is expected to catalyse private sector investment, create thousands of jobs across rural Ghana and aligns with the country’s import substitution and agro-industrial transformation agenda.
The Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) has expressed its disappointment over the recent government increment of cocoa price following the announcement at the Producer Price Committee Review, chaired by the Finance Minister, Hon. Ato Forson.
In a press conference at Accra, the Civil-Society mentioned that the newly farmgate price of USD $5,040 per metric tonne which is purported to represent 62% increase from last season’s USD $3,100 is misleading. GCCP’s reservations stem from prior assurances made by the President and Minister of Agriculture, pledging that cocoa farmers would receive 70% of the global market price.
According to GCCP, while this shift appears significant in dollar terms, the corresponding increase in local currency tells a more accurate story rising only 4.1%, from GH¢3, 100 to GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kg bag but not as it appears to be.
Underscoring the challenges facing cocoa farming, like; escalating production costs due to expensive inputs, labour, and operations, climate change impacts, including erratic weather patterns and worsening crop diseases like black pod, the increment remains insufficient to transform the livelihoods of cocoa farmers meaningfully, therefore, the need to increase the price more than GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kg bag.
To put it on records, the GCCP said Civil-Society is not politically motivated or been backed by any political party, but the interests of the cocoa farmers are their concern.
GCCP recommended to the government to first Implement Mid-Term Price Reviews: Adapt prices in line with global market fluctuations to mitigate smuggling.
Support Local LBCs: Strengthen local license buying companies through targeted financing and policy frameworks.
Tackle Structural Challenges: Address input affordability, climate resilience, and extension service access.
Invest in Farmer Education: Equip farmers with skills in sustainability, agronomy, and quality assurance.
Improve Rural Infrastructure: Upgrade roads, storage facilities, and essential services in cocoa-growing communities.
About the Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) The GCCP is an independent campaign and advocacy platform comprising civil society actors in the cocoa sector, including NGOs, farmer associations, and community organizations. Our mission is to advocate for and influence cocoa sector policies to improve the livelihoods of farmers across Ghana. We are committed to working with the government, private sector, and other stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and equitable cocoa industry that benefits all stakeholders.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), through the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), has cut the sod for the rehabilitation of the Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme in the Greater Accra Region.
The project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), forms part of implementing the Rehabilitation of Irrigation Schemes and Improvement of Irrigation Water Management Project in Aveyime, Dawhenya and Ashaiman irrigation schemes.
It seeks to improve water availability, expand irrigable land and enhance the productivity and income of farmers, particularly those within the Aveyime, Dawhenya and Ashaiman irrigation schemes in the Volta and Greater Accra regions.
The Ashaiman project, which will be undertaken by a home-grown construction company, Fridoug Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, will include spillway channel works, a 50-metre reservoir, 2.2km canal maintenance road, 2.2km concrete-lined canal, 22 22-metre access bridges to link the right and left banks and a new rice processing warehouse.
Groundbreakingceremony
The official groundbreaking ceremony at the Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme Office underscored the strong commitment of stakeholders to ensuring the successful completion and effective management of the project for the benefit of the people of Ashaiman and the nation as a whole.
The event brought together political figures, traditional leaders, representatives from MoFA, KOICA, GIDA, and farmers from the Ashaiman municipality.
Notable among the dignitaries were the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, Country Director for KOICA Ghana, Dong Hyun Lee, Project Management Consultant, Jon Seong, Reagent of Ashaiman, Nii Annang Adzor, CEO of GIDA, Eric Adu Dankwah, Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey and MCE for Ashaiman, Freeman Tsekpo.
In a statement, Mr Opoku highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s agenda to drive Ghana’s economic growth through agriculture.
He said the President believed Ghana’s vast agricultural potential, if supported by the right investments and policies, could increase farmer incomes, create youth employment, and ensure inclusive economic development.
To implement this vision, the minister said the government launched the Feed Ghana Programme in April, aiming to feed the population using locally produced food; supply raw materials to agro-processing industries, and create jobs across the agricultural value chain.
“In the wisdom of Mr President, our nation is endowed with huge agricultural potentials and so if we can make the right investment in agriculture and combine them with the right policies, we can significantly impact on incomes of our farmers, create gainful employment for our youth, and develop our economy from the scratch so that everybody, wherever you are located in this country, can be a participant as well as a beneficiary in the economic process,” he said.
Irrigable land
He said a key focus is shifting from rain-dependent farming to irrigation-based agriculture aimed at ensuring year-round food production, reducing reliance on weather conditions and laying a strong foundation for agriculture to become the engine of Ghana’s economic transformation.
The minister expressed worry that although the nation was blessed with irrigable land estimated at 1.9 million hectares, only 226,000 hectares were under irrigation and gave an assurance of the government’s commitment to rehabilitate the existing irrigation infrastructure while building new ones.
KOICA’s support
For his part, Mr Lee expressed pride in being part of the project, highlighting it as a symbol of the strong relationship between Ghana and Korea.
He pledged KOICA’s continued support for initiatives that improved the livelihoods of the Ghanaian people across various sectors.
The government has started the implementation of the Feed Ghana initiative with the cultivation of 500 acres of maize. This is expected to be scaled up to 2,000 acres by September 2026.
The Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, Mr George Opare Addo, addressing a government “Accountability Series” press briefing in Accra on Monday [August 4, 2025] described the Feed Ghana as a job creation effort designed to engage young people in large-scale agriculture while supporting national food supply systems.
“We have launched Feed Ghana with 500 acres of maize this year and aiming to increase this to 2,000 acres by September 2026,” he said.
He explained that the pilot phase is being undertaken with youth beneficiaries on lands in the Afram Plains and Yendi, with more sites expected to come on board. The produce will support the national school feeding programme and other state-run food supply efforts.
The programme is being implemented through the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to Mr Opare Addo, it forms part of the government’s strategy to link young people to structured opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing.
“This is not just farming. It is part of an integrated model, from seed to market, where young people are trained, equipped, and given clear production and sales targets,” he said.
Participants are being supported with technical training, inputs, mechanised services, and access to credit. Mr Opare Addo said these measures are intended to reduce the risks often associated with youth participation in agriculture.
Feed Ghana also aligns with other government programmes such as Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II, which promotes aggregation, storage, processing, and structured market access.
In the coming months, the minister said the programme will expand to include rice, soya, and vegetables across at least six additional regions.
He said the long-term objective is to make agriculture a stable and attractive path to employment for young people, while strengthening the country’s food systems.
“We are taking agriculture to the young people not just as a last resort, but as a business, a business that feeds Ghana and builds futures,” Mr Opare Addo said.
A new report by Mighty Earth, “Cameroon on the brink: Cocoa’s New Deforestation Frontier,” reveals that Cameroon is becoming the next major hotspot for cocoa-driven deforestation.
As productivity declines in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire due to global heating, crop disease, and outdated farming practices, Cameroon’s cocoa industry is booming, increasing the threat to the country’s forests and wildlife.
Mighty Earth is sounding the alarm that without urgent action by the Cameroonian government, cocoa companies and the EU there is a major risk of deforestation spreading as it has done in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire leading to massive forest loss in those key producing countries.
Surging deforestation
Cameroon is now the world’s fifth-largest cocoa producer and has set a goal to triple production by 2030—a move that is increasing pressure on the country’s forests and hugely biodiverse ecosystems.
The report highlights that 2024 marked the highest year of forest loss in Cameroon to date, with some districts having lost as much as 43% of their forest coverage since 2020.
A surge in cocoa-driven deforestation near Nkondjock district, which is adjacent to the Ebo Wildlife Reserve, poses a risk to the habitat of critically endangered charismatic megafauna such as Western Lowland Gorillas and Forest Elephants.
Thea Parson, Senior Associate at Mighty Earth and co-author of the report, said… “Cameroon’s cocoa boom risks the country becoming the next deforestation hotspot, with our analysis showing a big surge in forest loss last year, just as the EUDR is set to reshape the global cocoa market. We’ve already seen the devastating impact of unchecked cocoa expansion in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana: destroyed forests, deepening farmer poverty, and vanishing wildlife. To safeguard Cameroon’s access to its biggest market, the EU, and prevent further forest loss, farmers need to be better supported to improve practices, meet EUDR compliance and be fairly compensated. The EUDR gives Cameroon a chance to take a different path—but only if companies act now to ensure full traceability. So far, they are falling short.”
Falling short on EUDR compliance
Analysis in the report reveals that cocoa companies still lack visibility into their Cameroonian supply chains and are falling short in building the traceability systems needed for the compliance required by the incoming European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which was adopted in 2023 and requires farm-level geolocation data to prevent cocoa expansion into forest areas.
The European Union (EU) is Cameroon’s largest export market, with 80% of the country’s cocoa exported to the EU during the 2023/24 season.
The EUDR offers Cameroon the best opportunity to address these traceability issues and protect its forests. But unless there is urgent and coordinated action from companies, the EU and the Cameroonian government to prepare for enforcement, Cameroonian smallholders risk being cut off from their largest market when the legislation takes effect on December 30th 2025.
Farmer poverty
Despite relatively higher farmgate prices in Cameroon than in Ghana or Côte d’Ivoire, 69% of cocoa farming households live below the poverty line, with farmers receiving less for their beans due to the dominance of “coxeurs.” These intermediaries take substantial margins, leaving farmers underpaid and perpetuating a supply chain that remains opaque and difficult to trace.
In this system, beans from deforested areas are often mixed with those from monitored farms, further eroding traceability and threatening companies’ deforestation-free sourcing commitments.
Over the past decade, major cocoa traders such as Cargill, Barry Callebaut, and Olam—and chocolate manufacturers including Hershey’s, Godiva, and Nestle have publicly committed to achieving deforestation-free supply chains, many by 2025 or earlier.
Despite these pledges and ongoing efforts to build a national traceability system in Cameroon, the findings in Mighty Earth’s report show that real-world implementation continues to lag far behind corporate commitments.
Celestin Tina Biyo’o, Deputy National Coordinator of Programs at CODED Cameroon said….. “The lessons learned from past failures in the timber sector must serve as a guide to avoid repeating in the Cameroon’s cocoa sector. By adapting the EUDR to the local realities and strengthening the capacities of producers, it is possible to create a framework that promotes both sustainability and economic prosperity in the cocoa sector in Cameroon.”
“Through coordinated action, we are confident that it is possible to support Cameroonian cocoa producers in meeting this challenge and adapting to the new requirements of the European market. It is also essential to implement effective monitoring and control systems to ensure that agricultural practices comply with environmental and social standards, with the aim of preserving both the environment and the livelihoods of small-scale producers.”
Amourlaye Touré, Senior Advisor for Africa at Mighty Earth said: “Cocoa-driven deforestation is fundamentally linked to poverty—when farmers can’t earn enough from existing land, expanding into forests becomes a survival strategy. With most farmers in Cameroon living below the poverty line, direct financial incentives— such as better prices for deforestation-free cocoa or technical assistance to boost yields are critical to protecting Cameroon’s forests and the critically endangered wildlife that live there. And to avoid a repeat of the massive forest loss the cocoa industry has driven in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.”
Mighty Earth is calling for:
• Companies to investigate and disclose deforestation risk; publish farm-level maps and supply chain data; integrate coxeurs into traceability systems and ensure a living wage for farmers.
• The Cameroonian government to develop a national cocoa management system; release mapped farm boundaries; incentivize cocoa growing on degraded land and regulate coxeurs.
• The EU to scale up technical and financial assistance for EUDR compliance; monitor and enforce compliance and work with the Cameroonian government and all stakeholders across the cocoa industry.
The government of Ghana has approved a significant increase in the producer price of cocoa, raising it from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne for the upcoming 2025/2026 season.
The announcement was made by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson via a social media post on Monday, August 4, following a meeting of the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), which he chairs.
Dr Forson explained that the new price represents a 62.58 per cent increase in US dollar terms and aligns with President Mahama’s pledge to ensure cocoa farmers receive 70 per cent of the Free-On-Board (FOB) value.
“Government has by this decision increased the producer price significantly… representing 70% of the gross FOB value of $7,200 per tonne,” he stated.
Comparing the new policy with that of the previous administration, the Minister noted that the NPP government in the 2024/25 season paid US$3,100 per tonne against an FOB value of US$4,850 — amounting to just 63.9 per cent.
He added that the current FOB value is based on a blend of contracts sold at $2,600 per tonne in the 2023/24 crop year and forward forecasts for 2025/2026.
With an average exchange rate of GH¢10.25 to the US dollar, the increase means cocoa farmers will now receive GH¢51,660 per tonne or GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kilogramme bag of cocoa.
The new price will take effect from Thursday, August 7, 2025.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku has received two prestigious awards by the Office of the Special to the African Union for his contribution to enhance food security in Ghana and Africa.
The awards: Honorary Ambassadorship Award and Diplomatic Medal of Merit in Agricultural Transformation were conferred on Hon. Eric Opoku at the ministry’s conference room in Accra.
To present the awards, the Head of Mission of the African Union Agenda 2063, H.E Amb. Dr. Stepen Gbatigbi Ben-Joel said eulogises Hon. Eric Opoku for his good work been seen beyond the shores of Ghana and Africa.
According to Amb. Dr. Ben-Joel, the leadership of Hon. Minister in the agriculture sector has not only empowered farmers and enhance food systems but has also spoken directly to the sole of Agenda 2063 which envision an Africa that feeds herself and the world.
“You have turned fields into engines of economic growth, you have empowered communities through inclusive agriculture policies, and you have proved that with right vision and political will, food security is not just a dream is achievable reality”, Amb. Dr. Ben-Joel eulogises.
He mentioned that the Diplomatic Medal of Merit is confer on missionaries who transform lands to feed the future, hence Hon. Eric Opoku has successfully done that.
In responds to these prestigious awards, Amb. Eric Opoku expressed his gratitude to the envoy and assured of his commitment to the AU Agenda 2063.
He explained the various policies and interventions that his government has put in place to ensure food security in Ghana and beyond.
Some of these policies and interventions he mentioned were Feed Ghana Policy, irrigation project for the farmers to farm all year rounds, producing local rice seeds for farmers to avoid seed importation, etc.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has ordered an immediate suspension of the manufacture of Tasty Tom Enriched Tomato Mix, citing serious health and safety breaches at the production facility of Nutrifoods Ghana Limited.
The decision, according to a press statement issued on Sunday, August 3, follows an earlier directive for the recall of all canned Tasty Tom Enriched Tomato Mix products, as well as specified batches of the product in 380g and 1.05kg pouches.
The FDA’s action was prompted by numerous consumer complaints and a subsequent investigation into the company’s operations.
Findings from the FDA inspection revealed poor maintenance of key manufacturing equipment and a lack of adequate monitoring systems to ensure product safety.
These lapses were found to compromise the integrity of the tomato mix, especially in canned variants where faulty sealing mechanisms led to contamination.
Several pouches were reported to be bloated, and in some instances, mould was discovered, posing serious risks to consumer health.
The FDA emphasised the gravity of the situation: “These breaches present unacceptable risks to public health. We have acted swiftly to suspend production and ensure the affected products are removed from the market.”
The Authority also disclosed that Nutrifoods had previously been barred from manufacturing the tomato mix in January 2025, raising questions about compliance and regulatory enforcement.
As a result, the FDA has launched an internal probe to determine whether any lapses occurred within its regulatory oversight.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability. Should any internal failings be identified, decisive action will be taken to strengthen our regulatory framework,” the FDA assured.
According to the statement, retailers, wholesalers, and the general public are advised to take immediate note of this directive and cooperate fully with the ongoing recall.
Consumers in possession of the affected products are encouraged to return them to their point of purchase and report any adverse effects experienced.
Nutrifoods has, in a communique, agreed to recall products with the specified batch numbers as directed by the FDA.
Ministry of Food and Agriculture has issued a disclaimer cautioning the general public on a publication circulating online intended to dupe unwitting public especially the small and medium scale agribusinesses.
In a press release issued by the Ministry, MoFA said the said publications seek to lobby SMEs to register with an entity known as Global Farmers Association (GFA) located at Nairobi, Kenya to obtain a certificate of accreditation under a nonexisting Agricultural SMEs Grant Initiative 2025.
According to the Ministry, all the information being the contacts, website and the email address of the publication have no connection with the ministry.
The Ministry therefore, cautions the general public to abjure from dealing with such entity and isolate itself from said publication.
