Ghana is taking bold steps to reposition its agribusiness sector as a driver of inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, as the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry formally kickstarted a national policy dialogue aimed at crafting a homegrown strategy for sector transformation.
The maiden National Agribusiness Dialogue, held in Accra under the theme “Resetting Agribusiness for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Growth,” marked a pivotal shift in the country’s economic agenda. The event, opened by President John Dramani Mahama, served as a launchpad for collaborative policy development grounded in the lived realities of local actors.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, emphasised that the Dialogue was not a ceremonial gathering, but the start of a broader national conversation aimed at delivering practical, long-term solutions tailored to Ghana’s unique agribusiness ecosystem.
“We are here to co-create—not to import ideas, but to design a policy shaped by farmers, agripreneurs, researchers, private sector players, and policymakers who understand the ground realities,” she said. “This is our moment to reimagine agribusiness as a core pillar of industrial growth.”
The Dialogue also reflected the government’s recalibration of its mandate by merging agribusiness more explicitly with trade and industrial policy—signalling an intent to link agriculture to manufacturing, job creation, and value addition in a more strategic and structured way.
Mrs. Ofosu-Adjare revealed that the Ministry was spearheading the development of a clear, inclusive, and future-oriented National Agribusiness Policy, with stakeholder input at its centre. “We need a blueprint that aligns with our broader goals of economic transformation, job creation, and sustainable development,” she said.
She highlighted the relevance of the government’s flagship 24-Hour Plus Economy Policy as a complementary strategy to unlock productivity across agro-processing, logistics, storage, and market access. “This policy can reduce post-harvest losses and increase value addition, making our economy more resilient and globally competitive,” she said.
The Dialogue also featured a keynote presentation by Mr. Daniel Fahene Acquaye, Group CEO of Agri Impact Limited, who offered a data-driven perspective on the structural limitations in Ghana’s agribusiness model. He argued that while agriculture holds immense promise, the country has remained too focused on small-scale and pilot initiatives.
“Ghana needs to move beyond pilots and adopt large-scale agribusiness strategies that prioritise agro-processing and investment,” he said. “South Africa offers a great model—its agro-processing sector contributes more to GDP than primary agriculture. Ghana must learn and adapt.”
He called for improved access to finance, robust market systems, agritech integration, and value chain coordination to fully unlock the sector’s potential.
The event marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s development discourse, laying the foundation for a consultative policy framework that links agribusiness to industrial growth, empowers smallholder farmers and SMEs, and anchors sustainability at the heart of national planning.
The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has pledged to carry forward the momentum from the Dialogue into sustained action, working with all stakeholders to ensure that the eventual policy is not just inclusive in design—but transformative in outcome.
