Stakeholders at a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) investment forum in Accra have renewed calls for stronger collaboration between investors and small businesses to unlock financing for Ghana’s agri-food sector, which continues to face major funding constraints despite its economic importance.
The forum, themed “Scaling Impact in Ghana’s Agri-Food Sector,” brought together investors, agribusiness operators and development partners to explore practical pathways for scaling up investment and building long-term partnerships within the sector.
Dolores Dickson, Executive Director of DENSU Associates, said the organisation was proud to collaborate with the Nkabom Collaborative and other partners to strengthen support systems for SMEs across the country.
The event was organised by the Nkabom Collaborative in partnership with DENSU Associates, the Mastercard Foundation, the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and other development stakeholders.
According to Ms Dickson, an extensive nationwide selection process revealed the resilience and potential of Ghana’s SME sector. More than 100 businesses were assessed, 50 were shortlisted for interviews, and 40 agribusinesses ultimately selected to participate in the forum.
She explained that the selected SMEs were taken through investment readiness training aimed at positioning them for partnerships, funding opportunities and business expansion.
Ms Dickson noted that although SMEs account for about 90 per cent of businesses in Ghana, employ around 85 per cent of the workforce and contribute approximately 70 per cent to GDP, access to financing remains a major challenge.
She revealed that fewer than half of SMEs receive formal investment support, while only 28 per cent secure bank financing and less than 11 per cent access private equity funding.
High collateral demands, elevated interest rates and lack of established financial track records were cited as key barriers preventing SMEs from accessing capital.
Ms Dickson said the forum was designed to address these gaps by connecting investor-ready agribusinesses with capital providers through structured matchmaking, partnerships and ecosystem development.
She added that DENSU Associates, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, AGI, private sector actors and six universities in Ghana and Canada, is working on a youth-focused enterprise programme.
The initiative aims to support 3,000 youth-led SMEs and generate about 55,000 jobs for young people aged 15 to 35 over the next seven years.
This year’s edition of the forum featured 40 vetted nutrition and agri-food SMEs seeking to raise at least GH¢25 million in growth and working capital to scale their operations.
Organisers say the platform is expected to become an annual event, strengthening investment linkages in agriculture, climate resilience and the circular economy while boosting SME-led economic transformation in Ghana.
