Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson says government is moving to position agriculture, particularly economic crops, at the centre of the country’s jobs and industrialisation agenda, with a new Oil Palm Plantation Policy set for inclusion in the 2026 Budget.
In a Facebook post after a meeting with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Regional Vice President for Africa, Ethiopis Tafara, the Minister described the engagement as “highly productive”, adding that discussions focused on deepening IFC support for Ghana’s development priorities, especially in agriculture.
He disclosed that government is in “the final stages” of preparing a comprehensive policy to drive oil palm cultivation and processing nationwide as part of a broader strategy to develop economic crops.
According to him, the initiative carries significant employment potential,“With the right investment and partnerships, we believe Ghana can create over 500,000 jobs across the value chain, from cultivation and processing to manufacturing and exports, through the development of these strategic crops,” he said.
The Minister stressed that transforming agriculture at that scale requires long-term and patient financing, noting that government is working closely with the World Bank, IFC and other development partners “to mobilise financing and catalyse private sector participation.”
He said Ghana is “ready to move”, adding that with the right partnerships the country will “harness the power of agriculture to deliver inclusive growth, create jobs, and place economic crops at the heart of our nation’s transformation agenda.”
