The Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) has intensified efforts to attract investment into the Bono Region’s agro-processing sector, identifying value addition and agricultural infrastructure as key drivers of economic growth and job creation.
At a regional investment forum in Sunyani, GIPA urged local and foreign investors to take advantage of the region’s abundant agricultural resources, including cashew, maize, cassava, yam, plantain, vegetables, fruits and cocoa, to establish processing facilities and expand agribusiness operations.
The forum, held under the theme “Driving Local Investment, Unlocking Regional Potential: Mapping Opportunities and Mobilising Growth in the Bono Region,” brought together government officials, businesses and potential investors to explore opportunities across the region’s agricultural value chain.
Speaking at the event, GIPA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Abdul Razack Baba said the Authority was prioritising partnerships and joint ventures that would help transform agricultural production into higher-value industrial activity.
He said GIPA was working to improve the investment environment by supporting infrastructure development and promoting business-friendly policies that would encourage both domestic and foreign investment.
Mr. Baba noted that inadequate processing capacity continues to limit the full commercial potential of many agricultural products, citing the loss of cashew apples that often rot on farms because of the absence of processing facilities and transport infrastructure.
He said expanding agro-processing infrastructure would create new markets for farmers, strengthen agricultural supply chains and improve investor confidence in the sector.
According to him, GIPA is also facilitating investment by linking landowners with prospective investors interested in agricultural and industrial projects.
He further pointed to ongoing efforts by the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance to reduce lending costs for existing businesses, saying improved access to capital would enable companies to expand production and processing activities.
Bono Regional Minister Joseph Akwaboa described the region as a strategic investment destination with fertile agricultural land, favourable climatic conditions, a peaceful environment and a productive workforce.
He said the region offers significant opportunities in food processing, fruit juice production, starch manufacturing, edible oils, animal feed production, rice milling, flour production and large-scale warehousing.
Mr. Akwaboa stressed that increased investment in value addition would reduce post-harvest losses, create employment, improve farmers’ incomes and strengthen the region’s economic base.
He called on investors to partner with local producers to develop agro-industrial enterprises that can serve both domestic and export markets, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The investment forum forms part of GIPA’s broader strategy to promote regional investment opportunities and accelerate industrialisation through agriculture-led growth.
