Agribusiness specialist Dr. Victor Antwi has called for stronger collaboration between government, stakeholders, and financial institutions to introduce collateral-free, cash flow-based lending tailored to the unique needs of farmers and agribusinesses.
Dr. Antwi emphasized the importance of developing financial products that reflect the production cycles and repayment capacities of smallholder farmers.
“Financial institutions must understand crop yield timelines, for instance, cereals and legumes require about six months before repayment is feasible,” he said.
He stressed that disbursing funds at least a month before production begins would significantly improve farm output and sustainability.
Access to financing remains a major hurdle for farmers, particularly those at the grassroots who cannot meet traditional collateral requirements.
Dr. Antwi cited the success of the Feed the Future Ghana Mobilizing Finance in Agriculture (MFA) initiative, which, over five years, unlocked over US$330 million in financing for more than 140,000 agribusinesses across various value chains, including maize, soy, shea, and cashew.
While commending the recently launched Feed Ghana Programme by President John Dramani Mahama, he urged a shift in mindset to ensure honest implementation, warning against partisan misuse of inputs and funds.
Dr. Antwi also called for greater accountability from both politicians and farmers to ensure the success of national agricultural programs like Planting for Food and Jobs and the Ghana National Broiler Revitalization Project.
He advocated for policies that modernizes agriculture, encourage investment, and build a sustainable system that empowers farmers and strengthens food security.
