The government has released 85 percent of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s approved 2026 budget to support food production, agro-industrialisation and food security initiatives across the country, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem has announced.
Speaking at the launch of the AGRICONNECT Compact in Accra, Mr. Ampem said the release of the funds reflects government’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a key driver of economic growth, employment and industrial development.
“I am pleased to confirm that we have released GH¢1.677 billion, representing 85 percent of the approved 2026 Budget for Goods and Services and CAPEX for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture,” he stated.
He explained that the funds are being directed towards strategic interventions aimed at improving agricultural productivity, mechanisation, irrigation and value-chain development.
Mr. Ampem disclosed that GH¢581.4 million has been allocated for the establishment of 50 Farmer Service Centres to enhance mechanisation and boost productivity. An additional GH¢110 million has been earmarked for irrigation infrastructure projects nationwide.
He further revealed that GH¢515.3 million has been set aside for the supply of fertilisers and certified seeds to farmers, while GH¢244.9 million will support the Poultry Farm-to-Table Project, popularly known as Nkoko Nkitinkiti. Another GH¢200 million has been invested through the National Food Buffer Stock Company to strengthen produce distribution and trading.
The Deputy Finance Minister stressed that agriculture remains central to Ghana’s economic transformation agenda, noting that the country must reduce its reliance on imported food products that can be produced locally.
He said the government is pursuing policies aimed at moving agriculture “from subsistence to scale, from production to productivity, and from farming to agribusiness.”
Mr. Ampem indicated that the interventions form part of a broader fiscal strategy to reposition agriculture as a commercially viable sector capable of creating jobs for Ghana’s growing youth population.
He added that government is aligning budgetary releases with priority agricultural value-chain projects to ensure efficient use of public funds and measurable outcomes.
“We are no longer interested in budget approvals that sit on paper. The focus now is execution, impact and accountability. Agriculture must pay, and it must pay sustainably for our farmers and for the economy,” he emphasised.
To enhance transparency and accountability, Mr. Ampem disclosed that the Ministry of Finance is collaborating closely with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems for agricultural programmes.
He said a digital tracking system is being introduced to monitor the disbursement and utilisation of agricultural funds, particularly at the district level, with the aim of reducing leakages and improving oversight.
The launch of the Ghana National Pact for Agriculture and Economic Transformation, Food Security and Employment (AGRICONNECT Compact) brought together policymakers, development partners, agribusiness leaders and farmer-based organisations, who underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving the country’s food security and economic transformation goals.
