More than half a million Ghanaians are expected to benefit from a major World Bank-funded initiative aimed at transforming rural economies, improving food supply chains and creating thousands of jobs across the country.
The World Bank has approved US$500 million in financing for the Ghana Market Access and Connectivity Project (GMACP), a large-scale intervention designed to improve rural road infrastructure, strengthen agricultural value chains and enhance economic opportunities for farming communities.
According to a statement issued by the Bank, the project will directly benefit over 550,000 people, including approximately 350,000 farmers, 250,000 women and 310,000 young people, while generating more than 5,000 direct jobs and over 25,000 indirect employment opportunities.
The project will focus on rehabilitating and maintaining more than 1,000 kilometres of feeder roads across the Upper West, Northern, Savannah, Oti, Volta, Eastern, Ashanti, Bono and Western regions, areas known for producing key food crops such as maize, rice, yam and cassava.
Poor road infrastructure has long been a major obstacle for rural communities, limiting access to markets, increasing transportation costs and contributing to substantial post-harvest losses. The new investment seeks to reverse that trend by improving year-round access between farming communities and commercial centres.
The World Bank said enhanced road connectivity would enable farmers to transport produce more efficiently, reduce travel times, lower transportation costs and gain access to larger and more profitable markets.
The intervention is also expected to strengthen agricultural productivity and reduce food losses along the supply chain, contributing to improved food security and more stable food prices nationwide.
Robert Taliercio, World Bank Division Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, said the project would boost agricultural competitiveness while creating sustainable economic opportunities for rural populations.
“This project will improve access to markets and opportunities for rural communities while strengthening Ghana’s agricultural competitiveness and resilience,” he said.
Beyond road construction, the initiative incorporates climate-resilient infrastructure designs to ensure roads and drainage systems can withstand the increasing impacts of climate change.
The project will also support reforms aimed at improving road maintenance by operationalising the Road Maintenance Trust Fund and introducing Performance-Based Contracts to ensure infrastructure remains in good condition long after construction is completed.
Implemented by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the GMACP is expected to serve as a critical catalyst for rural development, helping connect farmers to markets, create jobs and drive inclusive economic growth across some of Ghana’s most productive agricultural regions.
