The Government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has adopted the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) to drive growth and modernization in the sector.
Addressing the media, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the initiative is aimed at strengthening agribusiness development, ensuring food security, mitigating food inflation, increasing export revenues, and creating sustainable job opportunities for the youth.
He noted that Ghana has long faced challenges that threaten food security and economic stability.
According to him, the country remains heavily reliant on food imports, which exceed $2 billion annually, with poultry alone accounting for over $300 million.
He stressed that this dependency makes Ghana vulnerable to external market fluctuations and currency instability, worsening food inflation and economic hardships for vulnerable populations.
He noted that, despite Ghana’s rich agricultural resources, inefficiencies in food production, weak infrastructure, limited access to essential inputs, and poor integration within the agricultural value chain have hampered progress.
The Minister explained that small holder farmers, who form the backbone of the sector, continue to face major obstacles, including limited mechanization, difficulties in securing financing, and a lack of modern farming techniques.
He emphasized that these challenges hinder their ability to expand operations and meet growing market demands.
He further noted that post-harvest losses remain a significant issue due to inadequate storage and processing facilities, poor transportation networks, and inefficient market connections.
He said in response to these challenges, MoFA is rolling out the Feed-Ghana Program as its flagship initiative under the transformation agenda.
He stressed that the comprehensive program is designed to boost agricultural production, supply raw materials to the agro-processing industry, and create jobs.
These initiatives he said aims to strengthen food production systems, improve infrastructure, and enhance market access for farmers.
According to him, these efforts will ultimately reduce Ghana’s dependency on food imports, stabilize food prices, enhance export potential, and support long-term economic growth.
Mr. Opoku reiterated the government’s commitment to making agriculture a key driver of economic transformation, ensuring food security, and improving the livelihoods of Ghanaians.
