The Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) has urged the government to place engineering at the heart of efforts to solve the country’s food security challenges.
According to the institution, food insecurity in Ghana is no longer just an agricultural issue, but a broader national development challenge that requires coordinated engineering solutions.
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, the President of GhIE, Ludwig Annang Hesse, said Ghana continued to face major obstacles including post-harvest losses, poor storage systems, weak transportation networks, low mechanisation, and the growing effects of climate change.
He noted that these problems were affecting the country’s ability to produce, preserve, and distribute food efficiently.
“Engineering is the enabler that connects production to markets, innovation to impact, and policy to measurable results,” Mr Hesse stated.
The call formed part of a communiqué issued after the 56th Annual General Meeting and Engineering Conference of GhIE, held in Ho in the Volta Region from March 16 to 20, 2026.
The conference, which was organised under the theme, “Engineering the Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Value Chain,” brought together engineers, policymakers, academics, and industry leaders to discuss ways of strengthening Ghana’s food systems.
Among the key recommendations from the conference was the need for increased investment in irrigation systems to support year-round farming and reduce the country’s heavy dependence on rainfall.
The communiqué also called for stronger support for mechanised farming, technology-driven agriculture, and the use of data in farm production.
It further urged the government to improve road infrastructure to help farmers move produce more easily to markets and processing centres.
Participants also highlighted the importance of investing in storage facilities, cold chain systems, and agro-processing plants to reduce post-harvest losses and increase value addition.
The conference recommended wider use of renewable energy in agriculture, especially to power irrigation systems, storage facilities, and agro-industrial operations.
It also stressed the importance of precision agriculture and national databases on soil, climate, and water conditions to improve productivity.
In addition, the communiqué encouraged support for research, local innovation, and circular economy initiatives that convert agricultural waste into energy, fertiliser, and other useful products.
The institution further called for policy reforms, stronger public-private partnerships, improved land tenure systems, and innovative financing models to support the agriculture sector.
GhIE also emphasised the need to equip young people and women with skills in engineering, science, technology, and agribusiness.
Mr Hesse said the institution remained committed to working with government and industry players to ensure that the ideas discussed at the conference lead to practical action.
“We will continue to provide technical leadership, deepen engagement with government and industry, and champion engineering solutions that address national development priorities,” he said.
Dr Lucy Agyepong, Chair of the GhIE Conferences and Programmes Committee, said the institution, established in 1968, continued to play a key role in promoting professionalism, ethics, and innovation across all engineering disciplines in Ghana.
