Ghana must establish a dedicated Agri-Fund to finance the emergence of indigenous agribusiness unicorns and reverse the country’s $2 billion annual post-harvest losses, Daniel Fahene Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Group, has said.
Mr. Acquaye called for strategic investment in local agro-processing firms through blended financing, specialised credit, and policy support.
He stressed that the country must deliberately build billion-dollar agribusiness champions to fuel industrialisation, create jobs, and expand Ghana’s global trade footprint.
“A fund that will be a game-changer; de-risking investments, unlocking capital, and empowering industry actors to scale with confidence and resilience, this is what will turn our staggering $2 billion in post-harvest losses into agribusiness gains,” Mr. Acquaye said.
He argued that agribusiness should be treated with the same strategic priority as education. “Agribusiness is the demand side of skilled labour, churning out entrepreneurs. It must receive equal financial attention as the supply side, which is education,” he added.
According to Mr. Acquaye, Ghana lacks sufficient large-scale indigenous agro-processing firms, largely due to the absence of tailored financing mechanisms.
He called on the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry to champion a comprehensive investment framework that combines export incentives, smart policies, and strong public-private partnerships.
“These champions will not emerge by chance. They must be intentionally built. Agribusiness may be local in operation, but it must be global in vision,” he said, noting that such firms could brand Ghanaian quality, expand access to global markets, and drive integration into global value chains.
However, President Mahama has described agribusiness as “my personal passion” and stressed its critical role in Ghana’s transition from an agrarian to an industrial, export-oriented economy.
He earlier outlined initiatives such as the Feed the Industries Programme, the 24-Hour Economy Policy, and the Rapid Industrialisation Initiative. These, he noted, aim to ensure year-round raw material supply, boost local processing, and formally integrate farmers into the value chain.
To support these efforts, President Mahama announced new irrigation projects, plans to waive import duties on agro-processing machinery, and a medium-term strategy to retool local agri-machinery fabrication through the GRATIS Foundation.
Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare also said the inclusion of agribusiness in the Ministry’s mandate signals a shift in Ghana’s economic strategy aligned with the President’s vision.
“We must move beyond traditional approaches. This policy must be inclusive, forward-looking, and aligned with our economic transformation goals,” she said, adding that access to finance, value addition, market linkages, and agri-tech will be priorities.
