The Fisheries Commission, together with the Greater Kumasi Fish Farmers Cooperative Union (GKFFCU) has acquired a space at the Kumasi Racecourse market to promote the sale of farmed fish.
This is to ensure that fish farmers gain the required profit from their investment since the farmed fish would be sold at standard prices at the market.
Mr. Gideon Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Kumasi that, the measure was to prevent cheating and help fish farmers obtain appropriate prices for their produce and thereby recoup their investment.
He said low and unfair prices made fish farmers hardly gain the needed profit from their investment, leading to losses and inability to expand investment in the aquaculture business.
“Fish farming is a very profitable business. However, fishmongers often purchase farmed fish cheaply from the farmers leaving them with less or no profit,” he noted.
Mr Boakye observed that due to the challenges in profit marginalization, some fish farmers had moved out of the business to other profitable ones, leaving the region with fewer fish farmers. This situation was affecting productivity in the sector.
The region in 2024, produced a total of 1,355 metric tons of farmed fish, which was a little above the 1,315 metric tons of farmed fish produced in 2023.
Another challenge Mr. Boakye noted was the high cost of fish feed and this also contributed to low production in the region.
He said the availability of farmed fish market, which would be regulated by the Fisheries Commission, would attract more investors and consumers of farmed fish in the region.
This would also improve productivity as fish farmers would be happy to continue to invest in aquaculture to contribute to protein food sustainability in the country.
Mr Boakye said the Fisheries Commission would ensure that quality and healthy farmed fish were sold in the market which would have all the standard equipment.
He noted that the formation of the Greater Kumasi Fish Farmers Cooperative Union (GKFFCU) was to make sure that all the fish farmers came together under the regulatory body.
The union would help maintain order among fish farmers and serve as a supporting body where farmers registered with them can benefit from.
Mr. Boakye called on other stakeholders to support the Fisheries Commission and the GKCU to realize its vision by providing a mini-farmed fish market in all the cities in the districts of the region.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has announced that the government will offer cocoa farmers 70% of the world market price for their produce, exceeding the initially proposed 60%.
This decision is aimed at motivating farmers, increasing production, and strengthening Ghana’s position as the world’s second-largest producer of cocoa.
The announcement follows the Minister’s earlier remarks in Parliament, where he emphasised the need to incentivise cocoa farmers to enhance production and support the country’s economy.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Mr Opoku reiterated the government’s commitment to revitalising the sector, particularly in response to declining cocoa processing output.
“Since 2023, CPC’s production has been on a downward trend. Despite having a processing capacity of 64,500 tonnes, the company produced only 6,614 tonnes in 2023 and 2,886 tonnes in 2024. This decline is largely due to reduced cocoa bean production, which has affected supply to the processing company,” he stated.
“To address this challenge, I announced the government’s decision to exceed the initial 60% proposal and offer cocoa farmers 70% of the world market price. This increase is intended to motivate farmers, boost production, and further cement Ghana’s standing as the world’s second-largest producer of cocoa.”
Despite being a leading global producer, Ghana primarily exports raw cocoa beans due to limited local processing capacity, a situation that has sparked concerns over lost revenue.
The Minister assured stakeholders that the government is taking steps to enhance the value chain and maximise earnings from cocoa production.
This latest initiative is expected to provide much-needed relief to farmers and contribute to sustainable growth in Ghana’s cocoa industry.
To revive and revamp the country’s economy, the Government of Ghana together with its stakeholders have launched a project that would roll out the 24-hour for economic growth and development.
The project “Irrigation for Wealth Project” aimed at reducing dependency on seasonal rainfall, which is often unpredictable and negatively affects farmers’ yields and to boosting food production, feed the local industries and improving agricultural activities in the country.
During the launch at Accra on February 13, 2025, the Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, explained that the project’s primary goal is to provide sustainable irrigation facilities to support Ghanaian farmers in overcoming seasonal challenges in agriculture.
This project is part of the government’s broader strategy to transform the agricultural sector, with a focus on ensuring food security and enhancing the economic benefits of farming.
The Irrigation for Wealth project is expected to be implemented over the next twelve months and will cover eight regions across Ghana. The designated regions include Volta, Oti, Central, North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper West, and Upper East.
In line with the government’s vision, the regional ministers from these areas have been assigned to spearhead the implementation of the initiative. They are expected to engage stakeholders in their respective regions to ensure smooth coordination and execution of the project.
At the meeting with the 8 regional ministers, Hon. Eric Opoku emphasized that Phase One of the project will require the allocation of ten thousand hectares of land for irrigation purposes.
The government’s vision for the initiative aligns with the Agric for Economic Transformation agenda, which aims to increase the resilience and productivity of the agriculture sector.
The Minister assures that the areas selected for the project have been identified as potential irrigation zones for a long time.
He further noted that the discussions with local chiefs have been finalized to ensure the initiative’s smooth rollout. However, he highlighted that the specific type of irrigation facilities to be installed in each region will be determined after a detailed field visit by experts who will assess the requirements for each area.
The nature and scale of the irrigation systems to be implemented will depend on the unique conditions of each region, as each one has specific land areas that need to be catered to under the Irrigation for Wealth Project.
The Minister elaborated on the current challenges that farmers face due to Ghana’s seasonal rainfall patterns, stating that “Farming in Ghana is seasonal. It’s seasonal because it is rainfall we depend solely on. The weather is not that favourable.”
He reiterated that farmers will be the primary beneficiaries of the investment, and the government intends to “reset their culture” to ensure consistent agricultural production.
According to Ministry records and reports from previous administrations, only 1.6% of the 1.9 million hectares of land in the country is currently irrigated. This is a stark contrast to the West African average, which stands at 13.9%.
Hon. Minister pointed out that Ghana is significantly lacking behind in terms of irrigation infrastructure, and urgent investments are needed to bridge the gap and boost agricultural productivity.
“We have to push a lot of resources into irrigation so that we can ensure all year production. Our concern is to increase food production so that everyone of you can be fed. We want to produce food to feed our country and the rest of West Africa. We can do it,” he stated confidently.
The minister also questioned why Ghana continues to import food at a cost exceeding $2 billion annually. This heavy reliance on food imports, he argued, places unnecessary strain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and worsens the exchange rate challenges, further affecting businesses and increasing unemployment.
He stressed that with the right investment in irrigation and agricultural infrastructure, Ghana could reduce its reliance on food imports and improve its self-sufficiency.
Although the exact cost of the Irrigation for Wealth initiative has not yet been disclosed, Mr. Opoku assured the public that the financial details would be revealed during the 2025 budget statement.
He clarified that the project is still in its design phase, and the final cost will depend on the quantities and specifications determined after the field assessments by experts. “We have now commissioned the team to go to the field to finalize the designs. It would be premature for me to indicate the exact cost at this stage. However, once the designs are finalized and the budget approved, the contractors will be engaged to commence the project immediately,” Mr. Opoku stated
The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, in solidarity with its continental and global partners, celebrates the distinguished appointment of His Excellency MOSES VILAKATI as the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment.
His visionary leadership, honed over three decades of transformative work in agricultural policy, environmental stewardship, and rural empowerment in Eswatini and across Southern Africa, inspires confidence in Africa’s journey toward food sovereignty and sustainable prosperity.
A Vision Aligned with Africa’s Potential:
Hon. Vilakati clarion call to harness technology, innovation, and intra-African collaboration to unlock the continent’s agricultural potential could not be timelier.
Africa, endowed with 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, 10% of global freshwater resources, and a dynamic youth population, remains paradoxically reliant on $100 billion in annual food imports.
His vision to bridge this gap—through mechanization, agro-industrialization, and climate-resilient value chains—echoes the aspirations of 1.4 billion Africans.
We applaud your commitment to aligning the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), ensuring that “growing what we eat” translates into economic empowerment for farmers and agribusinesses.
Continental Challenges in a Global Context:
Africa’s agricultural transformation unfolds against a backdrop of intersecting global and regional crises:
Global Climate Vulnerability & USAID Funding Withdrawal –
Deepening Africa’s Agricultural Crisis –
The Trump administration’s abrupt freeze of USAID funding has exacerbated Africa’s climate vulnerability, creating critical gaps in agricultural support at a time when the continent faces intensifying droughts, floods, and food insecurity. USAID’s FY2023 budget allocated $1.3 billion to agriculture globally, with sub-Saharan Africa relying heavily on these funds for climate-resilient farming, seed distribution, and irrigation projects.
The suspension has halted programs like Haiti’s bean seed distribution (3.9 metric tons now rotting in storage), threatening planting seasons and worsening food insecurity.
In South Sudan, where catastrophic floods destroyed crops, USAID-funded food deliveries were abruptly paused, forcing families like James Akot’s to sell livestock for survival—a short-term fix that risks long-term destitution .
Similarly, Sudan’s famine response collapsed as communal kitchens, which fed 816,000 people, closed due to funding cuts, accelerating starvation in war-torn regions .
Economically, seven African nations—including DR Congo and Uganda—face a 3% GDP shock due to USAID’s freeze, with agricultural and emergency aid accounting for 11% of their gross national income .
This disruption undermines climate adaptation efforts, such as drought-resistant crop initiatives and soil health programs, leaving farmers unprepared for recurring climate shocks .
The withdrawal also stalls continental strategies like the AU’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which depends on blended financing now jeopardized by shrinking global aid.
Without urgent alternatives, Africa’s dual crises of climate vulnerability and agricultural underfunding threaten to unravel decades of progress, demanding systemic reforms and renewed international solidarity.
Climate Vulnerability – With 7 of the 10 most climate-vulnerable nations in Africa, erratic weather patterns threaten 60% of the continent’s smallholder farmers, as seen in Ghana’s recent 30% decline in maize yields due to droughts.
Geopolitical Pressures – The ripple effects of the Russia-Ukraine war disrupted Africa’s access to fertilizers and wheat, exposing overreliance on volatile global markets.
Funding Gaps – Despite the 2014 Malabo Declaration’s pledge to allocate 10% of national budgets to agriculture, only 5 countries met this target in 2023, compounded by shrinking global aid for agriculture, which fell by 12% since 2020 (OECD 2024).
Policy Fragmentation -Harmonizing 55 national agricultural policies under CAADP remains a herculean task, requiring bold diplomacy and innovative governance frameworks.
Yet, these challenges are matched by unprecedented opportunities. The global shift toward sustainable food systems, digital disruption in agri-tech, and Africa’s youth-driven entrepreneurial revolution position the continent to leapfrog outdated models and lead a 21st-century agricultural renaissance.
A Pledge of Continental & Global Partnership:
Your Excellency, the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, alongside our global and continental partners in the Alliance with other progressive Initiatives, pledges unwavering support for your tenure.
We commit to:
Amplify Technology Transfer – Scale up innovative National digital platforms for farmer advisories and connect them to pan-African networks like AgraWatch for real-time climate data sharing.
Advocate for Fair Global Trade – Mobilize African agribusiness leaders to lobby at the WTO for equitable trade terms that protect local markets while expanding exports under AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative.
Unlock Sustainable Finance – Partner with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and global institutions to pilot blended-finance models, reducing interest rates for smallholders and incentivizing youth-led agri-tech startups.
Strengthen South-South Collaboration – Facilitate knowledge exchange between Africa and Global South innovators, such as India’s digital soil health cards and Brazil’s Embrapa tropical agricultural research.
A Future Built on Resilience & Innovation – Your leadership arrives at a pivotal juncture. As Africa grapples with the dual imperatives of feeding its population—projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050—and mitigating climate risks, your focus on sustainable intensification, blue economy development, and circular agri-business models offers a roadmap to resilience.
The Chamber stands ready to support your flagship initiatives, from scaling solar-powered irrigation to mainstreaming biofortified crops, ensuring no community is left behind.
Your Excellency, as you assume this critical role, know that Africa’s agribusiness community marches with you.
Together, we shall transform challenges into stepping stones, proving that a continent which feeds itself can truly shape its destiny.
In solidarity and shared purpose…
Farmer Anthony Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana
Continental Agribusiness National Policy Investments Prioritization Expert Panelist(AUDA- NEPAD)
Member – Post Malabo Technical Working Group (5) – AKADEMIYA2063
In a world where agriculture and technology are becoming increasingly intertwined, Naa Ayeley is leading the charge with innovative solutions that transform post-harvest practices. As a co-founder of Sunify Solardry Technology, a KIC-funded agribusiness startup, she is redefining sustainable food preservation through cutting-edge mobile solar drying technology.
Naa Ayeley started her journey, when she joined the KIC AgriTech Challenge Classic program in 2023. In 2024, her team won at the AgriTech Challenge Pro Final Pitch event, and joined the KIC Incubation program the same year. Through her experience at the KIC program, she founded a start-up with her colleagues to provide solar technology solutions for post-harvest storage.
With a deep understanding of post-harvest challenges, Naa Ayeley and her team are tackling food waste, improving grain quality, and empowering smallholder farmers with affordable and accessible drying solutions. “I was a science student in Senior High School (2016 to 2019) and offered midwifery at the Tertiary level which has all shaped my analytical mindset, but I can boldly say that my experience at Kosmos Innovation Center is what has broadened my perspective on agribusiness and entrepreneurship,” she said.
By harnessing the power of the sun, her innovation reduces spoilage, ensures food security, and creates employment opportunities for young people in the agribusiness space. Her work stands as a testament to the limitless possibilities that science and technology offer in shaping the future of agriculture.
“Through science and innovation, we are converting solar energy into a powerful solution for food preservation. At Sunify Solardry Technology, we bridge technology and sustainability to revolutionize agribusiness,” she adds.
On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate Naa Ayeley’sremarkable journey, one that exemplifies the power of knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurship in driving sustainable development of many other young women transforming the agricultural sector as well as other industries. As we honor women using science to solve pressing global challenges, we encourage young girls to explore the intersection of STEM and agriculture, knowing that their ideas can shape the future of food security and sustainability.
In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, KIC is committed to providing empowerment to young people through entrepreneurship and innovation within the agricultural sector.
Players within the agricultural sector and export value chain have a lot to cheer about following President John Dramani Mahama’s appointment of Hon. Sylvester Adinam Mensah as Acting Chief Executive of the country’s leading policy and development bank, the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM).
News of the appointment of the consummate finance professional and former senior banker, prominent for his expertise in public sector banking, fund management, strategic financial management, and governance with a proven record of accomplishment of delivering innovative financial solutions was received with excitement across various sectors.
The Ghana Export-Import Bank Act 2016 (Act 911) was promulgated to establish the Ghana Export-Import Bank with a mandate to facilitate international trade, improve export competitiveness, enhance foreign exchange earnings and improve the balance of trade. In addition, the Bank is to play a pivotal role in Ghana’s quest for a feasible and sustainable export-led economy.
Under Mensah’s leadership, the Bank’s core strategic direction is expected to focus on prioritizing agribusiness and introducing carefully designed initiatives tobridge the export gap to foster Ghana’s greater participation in global export value chains, from small and medium-sized enterprises to larger corporations.
Over the years, agriculture has remained the major driver of Ghana’s economy and the primary way the majority of Ghanaians earn their living. As an agrarian economy, it has become important to focus on agribusiness in order to enhance the development of the value chain and build the ecosystem to our advantage.
Agribusiness, as we are aware, examines the structure and organization of the agricultural food sector as well as the entire value chain extending from farm inputs, through on-farm businesses, to processing, transportation, credit and marketing.
In addition, Agribusiness plays a crucial role in the world economy, responsible for producing, packaging, preserving and distributing food and other agricultural products to consumers and industries worldwide. For this reason, we cannot afford to neglect agribusiness as a priority for the country.
Low and medium-income countries always battle with currency depreciation due to an unfavourable balance of trade (BoT) which also serves as a major indicator of economic growth potential and an important part of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Reducing our trade deficit will require a bold step to increase exports to earn more foreign currency from the goods and services exported.
In realizing this, Ghanaian businesses are to be aided to leverage innovation and technology to improve their processes to be able to compete favourably in the global marketplace.
This will ultimately lead to the building of local capacity, enormously contribute to Ghana’s industrialisation, and export drive agenda. Without a doubt, these will certainly culminate in job creation and the introduction of special purpose initiatives targeting the youth and women to benefit from jobs to be created.
Businessman Alhaji Seidu Agongo has revealed that he spent two days in the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over allegations of selling adulterated fertilizers to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
On January 28, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, formally withdrew all charges against Dr. Stephen Opuni, former CEO of COCOBOD, and Seidu Agongo.
State Attorney Enam Loh Mensah informed the court that the Attorney-General had directed the withdrawal of all charges, leading to the filing of a formal notice.
Dr. Opuni and Seidu Agongo had faced 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretenses, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and corruption by a public officer.
The trial, which commenced in 2018, revolved around allegations of procuring substandard fertilizers for COCOBOD, reportedly resulting in financial losses to the state.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Seidu Agongo, recalled, “I was arrested, detained and slept I think about two days at the EOCO cells. I was told they were looking for me so I went there to report myself. They said I had sold adulterated fertilizers to COCOBOD.”
He accused EOCO of detaining him in an attempt to intimidate him into making a confession.
“They wanted to detain me and put fear and panic in me. That was my first time [sleeping in a cell].”
A team of researchers from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have unveiled a groundbreaking method of producing high-performance batteries using taro (Kooko or Brobe) peels.
This cost-effective and environmentally friendly innovation, published in the journal Energy Storage, has the potential to revolutionise the energy storage industry by turning food waste into a renewable energy solution.
Dr Daniel Nframah Ampong, the lead researcher and a member of the KNUST Centre for Engineering Materials Research (KCEMR), explained the approach taken by the research team.
“We used an environmentally friendly approach to synthesise activated carbon from taro peels. These waste materials contain some properties or functional groups that we believed at the time would enhance the performance of energy storage devices,” he stated.
The study focused on converting taro peels into activated carbon, which was then tested for its effectiveness in energy storage applications.
According to Dr Ampong, the current market relies on activated carbons that are synthetically produced using toxic and hazardous methods. The KNUST team, however, took inspiration from traditional charcoal-making techniques used in Ghanaian villages.
“We decided to come down to our level and use the process of producing charcoal in our villages. We mimicked that process using crucibles, and at the end, we were able to synthesise the activated carbon, which had similar properties to the commercially available activated carbons,” Dr Ampong revealed.
The biomass-derived material demonstrated exceptional energy storage capabilities, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional battery components.
The innovation aligns with Ghana’s renewable energy agenda, as the country seeks to increase its renewable energy mix.
“The purpose of the research is to get some storage systems to store renewable energies when they are in excess so that when we need them, we would be able to utilise them effectively,” Dr Ampong explained.
“We want to produce something that is eco-friendly with a cheap synthesis process, and the starting materials are locally available.”
Professor Kwadwo Mensah-Darkwa, Dr Ampong’s supervisor and Research Lead of the Energy Materials Research Group, highlighted ongoing efforts to harness biowaste for energy storage solutions.
“There has been a lot of development trying to use these biowaste materials mostly to drive our energy storage agenda. The plan is we want to get an eco-friendly way of creating materials for energy storage devices. This is what we are looking forward to at our lab,” he said.
Prof Mensah-Darkwa also noted that recent investments in laboratory equipment through the KNUST Engineering Education Programme (KEEP) have enhanced their research capabilities.
“We have equipment now where we can test these assembled cells. So now the output of our research is going to be quite effective, and we would be able to look at all other opportunities we have,” he stated.
However, he acknowledged that further material characterisation techniques are required to confirm the properties needed for specific applications, which the department currently lacks.
“We know that there is opportunity in this area, and if we build on our expertise, then we can now look at how to scale it up and make an impact. We are a little bit far from building our own batteries, but we are close to understanding how we can do these things locally,” he explained.
This pioneering research could pave the way for Ghana to develop its own battery technology using locally sourced and sustainable materials.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a $5 million contribution (over GH¢80 million) from the Republic of Korea to provide lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to 187,000 people affected by drought in northern Ghana.
This intervention comes at a critical time when soaring food prices and widespread crop and livestock losses due to prolonged dry spells have worsened food insecurity in the region. The hardest-hit areas include Bono, Bono East, Oti, Northern, North-East, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West, with an estimated one million people (approximately 3% of Ghana’s total population) impacted.
“The prolonged dry spell in northern Ghana has created an urgent need for support among affected families. With soaring inflation and currency depreciation, these families are facing a crisis within a crisis,” said Aurore Rusiga, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in Ghana.
“WFP appreciates the unwavering support from the Republic of Korea. Together with the Government of Ghana, we are committed to ensuring that the most affected families have access to diverse and sufficient food until the next harvest season. This contribution is a lifeline for many and a testament to the power of international solidarity,” she added.
The Republic of Korea’s funding will enable WFP to provide emergency cash transfers to the 187,000 Ghanaians who are struggling to afford food due to high prices, low seasonal production, and early depletion of household food stocks.
“This contribution is part of the pledge made by the Government of the Republic of Korea, as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, to support the Republic of Ghana. Our contribution shows that the Republic of Korea is a steadfast friend of Ghana, standing side by side even in times of great hardship,” said Park Kyong Sig, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ghana.
In Ghana, WFP continues to support economic self-reliance by providing technical assistance and building strategic partnerships that enhance nutrition, food systems, social protection, and social cohesion.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, dedicated to saving lives during emergencies and using food assistance as a tool to promote peace, stability, and long-term prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and climate change.
The Black Volta River, which flows near the town of Yapei, has been severely polluted due to illegal mining activities in the Banda Nkwanta areas.
The river, which is a vital source of water for the local community, has been contaminated, posing a significant threat to the health and livelihoods of those who depend on it.
The pollution is a result of Galamsey activities in the area, causing widespread pollution and destruction of the water body.
The Black Volta River is a significant waterway that flows into the White Volta River to form the Volta River.
The pollution of the Black Volta River has serious implications for the environment and human health, as it can contaminate the water supply and affect the livelihoods of people who depend on the river for fishing and other economic activities.
The pollution has also raised concerns among the local community, who are calling on the authorities to take immediate action to stop the illegal mining activities.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resource has indicated steps to fight illegal mining activities to ensure that those responsible for the pollution are held accountable.
