A series of regional consultations toward the development of a National Agribusiness and Agro-Processing Policy, has come to an end, marking a key milestone in government’s plan to reposition agribusiness as a driver of industrial transformation. The final engagement, held in Ho in the Volta Region, brought together stakeholders from the Volta and Oti regions as the policy process now moves to national validation.
The consultations were led by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry in partnership with AGRA and Agri-Impact. AGRA’s Country Director, Dr. Betty Annan, said the organisation was proud to support a reform process aimed at strengthening Ghana’s agribusiness competitiveness and resilience.
Representing the Volta Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Avorna cited that agribusiness remains central to national development. He noted that the Volta Region is rich in agricultural diversity, from rice, cassava and maize to yam, vegetables, aquaculture and fruits, but continues to face persistent constraints including post-harvest losses, limited processing capacity, inadequate finance and weak infrastructure. He described the consultation as “an opportunity to reshape the future of agribusiness in the Volta and Oti Regions.”
Alhaji Avorna highlighted regional priorities such as expanding agro-processing zones, improving irrigation, upgrading feeder roads, strengthening cold-chain systems, promoting climate-smart technologies and designing targeted interventions for women and youth. He stressed that the success of the new policy will depend on strong collaboration across government, the private sector, development partners, academia and farming communities.
The Director of Agribusiness at the Ministry, Mr. Kwame Oppong Ntim, reaffirmed government’s commitment to integrating agribusiness into its broader industrial strategy. He noted that the restructuring of the Ministry to explicitly include Agribusiness reflects a deliberate focus on value addition and stronger raw material supply chains. Referencing a global agribusiness market projected to reach US$5.8 trillion by 2033, he said Ghana must prioritise innovation, contract farming, climate-smart production and value-added processing to remain competitive.
Mr. Oppong Ntim noted that many industries continue to operate below 40 percent capacity due to inconsistent access to raw materials. To address this, he outlined flagship programmes such as the Feed the Industry Programme, Rapid Industrialization Programme and Accelerated Export Development Programme, which aim to strengthen structured supply chains and improve farmer–processor linkages. He added that taxes on agro-processing machinery would be waived in the short term to incentivise investment, while local machinery production through institutions such as GRATIS would be scaled up over the medium term.
With the regional inputs gathered, preparations are underway for the National Validation Meeting, where stakeholders will review the draft policy ahead of Cabinet submission. Mr. Oppong Ntim said the session will consolidate expert insights gathered nationwide, identify remaining policy gaps and confirm mechanisms for effective implementation and coordination.
The Ministry’s Volta Regional Officer, Mr. Lambert Amewu, said the process aims to align production, processing, marketing and value-chain competitiveness with Ghana’s long-term industrial ambitions. He encouraged participants to offer frank inputs to ensure the policy meets the needs of the Volta and Oti regions.
The Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion Manager, Ms. Ama Gyan, stressed the importance of ensuring women, youth and vulnerable groups benefit directly from sector reforms. She said the regional dialogues offered a platform to “listen, reflect and co-create solutions for a more competitive, inclusive and resilient agribusiness ecosystem.” She noted persistent challenges including weak aggregation systems, limited finance, market volatility, certification barriers and climate risks.
The forthcoming National Agribusiness and Agro-Processing Policy is expected to provide a unified framework for modernising Ghana’s food systems, strengthening agro-industrial competitiveness, creating jobs and driving sustained industrial transformation.
