The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has opened talks with Ghana on a new partnership to strengthen the country’s intellectual property framework, following a meeting between WIPO Director General Daren Tang and Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare in Accra.
WIPO announced a six-month capacity-building programme for women in agribusiness and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which Tang said will support Ghana’s broader economic transformation agenda by equipping entrepreneurs with IP skills, branding strategies and product development support.
“We want to move intellectual property from the global north to the global south to our brothers and sisters in Africa and we are here to walk with you throughout the training process,” he said.
The initiative forms part of WIPO’s push to expand IP knowledge and commercialisation capacity across developing economies, including sectors where women-led enterprises dominate production but often lack access to market-enhancing tools such as trademarks, patents and packaging standards.
Ofosu-Adjare welcomed the engagement, describing WIPO’s focus on SMEs, especially women in agribusiness, as timely. She cited packaging as a persistent barrier to value addition and export readiness.
“Training programmes for women in agribusiness were the way to go,” she said, adding: “Anything that will help promote proper packaging is always welcome.”
She urged WIPO to fast-track implementation so the training can begin without delays, saying it would provide tangible benefits for small producers and enhance competitiveness across the domestic value chain.
The partnership marks one of WIPO’s most targeted interventions in Ghana in recent years and aligns with the government’s strategy to grow non-traditional exports and strengthen industrial standards. The programme is expected to improve product quality, help SMEs compete in regional markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and expand the country’s IP portfolio as more firms formalise their innovations.
Further technical discussions between the Ministry and WIPO are expected to determine rollout timelines, participating sectors and the scale of beneficiaries.
