Agriculture
From The Report: Ghana 2017
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Agriculture is fundamental to Ghana’s economy and employs almost 50% of the population. Although its share of GDP has decreased in recent years, it continues to be vital to growth. While low levels of mechanisation and the effects of drought and climate change are threatening to slow or curtail sector growth, the government’s commitment to investing in technologies and establishing new policies to protect and support the industry are promising. With a number of crops and segments performing well below capacity, there is ample opportunity for greater investment and modernisation from private sector players.

This chapter contains interviews with Charity Sackitey, Managing Director, Barry Callebaut Ghana; and Joe Tackie, Chairman, Steering Committee, Ghana Commodity Exchange.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Sowing the seeds: Agricultural output has declined, but the public and private sectors are rolling out plans to boost production
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Agriculture is fundamental to Ghana’s economy and employs almost 50% of the population. Although its share of GDP has decreased in recent years, it continues to be vital to the country’s growth. The government is focused on increasing the production of non-traditional products, expanding processing capacity, and attracting private investment. By The Numbers The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported that agriculture saw a year-on-year growth rate of less than 1% in 2015 compared to…

Interview

Refining the chain: Charity Sackitey, Managing Director, Barry Callebaut Ghana, on strengthening the cocoa sector
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Interview:Charity Sackitey How can the country reduce post-harvest losses and increase supply chain efficiency? CHARITY SACKITEY: Ghana can reduce losses by providing smallholder post-harvest storage facilities close to farms to help farmers securely store their products. It is imperative to provide training to farmers in drying, pest control and basic preservation techniques. The country should encourage investments in cottage industries for small-scale agro-processing, and these businesses…

Overview

Looking to lend: The sector is rolling out a series of financial tools to help meet its growth potential
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Access to capital is critical for agri-business and enables small-scale enterprises to invest in expanding production. Most of Ghana’s agricultural sector is composed of small or subsistence farms in rural areas, making it difficult to secure collateral or even travel to visit a credit provider. It can also be challenging for farmers to understand the crediting process. Additionally, financial institutions have not historically been interested in providing agricultural loans. “Banks are not willing…

Analysis

Sweet success: New policies and infrastructure upgrades are boosting the production of a key export
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Cocoa has long been one of Ghana’s primary exports and is an important source of livelihood in rural communities. Ghana produces, on average, 800,000 tonnes of cocoa annually and with an average output of around 1.8m tonnes per year, is the world’s second-largest exporter after Côte d’Ivoire. In 2014 Ghana’s exports amounted to $10.2bn, of which cocoa and its derivatives made up approximately 28%. Between 2000 and 2012, Ghana increased its production from 450,000 tonnes to 1m tonnes.…

Overview

Launching the exchange: Joe Tackie, Chairman, Steering Committee, Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX), on building a pan-African market
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Interview:Joe Tackie What is the implementation timeline for the GCX? JOE TACKIE: Currently, the GCX is on schedule, despite the risks usually associated with any start-up. We are confident we will have the exchange implemented by the second quarter of 2017. It has been a protracted process. The idea was first floated in 2009 and officially launched by then-President John Dramani Mahama in June 2015. We have borrowed ideas from the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange, which was established in April…

Analysis

Rice to riches: As demand continues to grow, policy initiatives and production trends are changing the face of the sector
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According to Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, rice consumption in Ghana has steadily increased over the last two decades, joining cassava and yams as one of Ghana’s three most-consumed commodities. Between 1999 and 2008, rice consumption grew from 17.5 kg to 38 kg per capita and is expected to reach 63 kg per capita by 2018. With population growth, urbanisation and shifting consumer preferences, demand for rice is expected to continue expanding in the coming years. In 2016 then-President…