By Mariam Aminu
Ghana’s agricultural landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as the government rolls out major policy reforms, digital interventions, and targeted investments aimed at building food security and strengthening local value chains.
To stimulate domestic agricultural markets, the government has announced plans to amend national procurement laws, making it mandatory for state institutions funded by public tax money to source food directly from local farmers.
Outlining the strategic direction, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson highlighted that state spending must actively support local producers rather than driving food imports.
“We are proposing changes to the procurement laws to require those spending public money to buy food from Ghanaian farmers,” Dr. Forson stated. “Government money must work for government people.”
Modernizing Agribusiness Education
In tandem with policy shifts, efforts are underway to modernize agricultural training. Five agricultural colleges across the country have received modern digital tools and technology packages to advance climate-smart farming techniques. The initiative aims to equip the next generation of farmers, extension officers, and agronomists with data-driven skills to navigate climate challenges, optimize yield efficiency, and promote sustainability.
Stakeholders at the handover ceremony emphasized that digital technology is vital for building resilience within local food production systems and attracting tech-savvy youth to the sector.
Friction Over Funding and Flagship Programmes
Despite these progressive steps, tension remains within government leadership over external funding decisions for critical infrastructure projects.
Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku has formally petitioned Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson to reconsider a proposed withdrawal from the World Bank-backed West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP).
Minister Opoku cautioned that exiting the international funding initiative could severely jeopardize key agricultural initiatives and infrastructure developments, including major rehabilitation works at the Weta, Vea, and Kpong irrigation schemes, as well as several inland valley projects.
“Taken together, these directives place the implementation of ‘Feed Ghana’ a flagship Government programme and a commitment in the National Democratic Congress manifesto under immediate pressure,” Minister Opoku stated in his letter to the Finance Ministry.
As debates over project funding continue, agricultural stakeholders and farmers’ associations have welcomed the proposed procurement law changes and educational digital tools. Together, these measures represent a concerted attempt to achieve national food self-sufficiency and protect local producers against external economic pressures.
