Agriculture
From The Report: Ghana 2016
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Even as Ghana’s oil and gas industry continues to expand, the agricultural sector remains a vital contributor to economic activity, employing more than half of the working population. The country cultivates a rich array of staples and cash crops, and is the second-largest producer worldwide of cocoa. The sector experienced a year-on-year growth rate of 4.6% in 2014, according to the Ghana Statistical Service, compared with 5.7% in 2013 and 2.3% in 2012. This was lower than the targeted 5.2%, and down from the earlier estimate of 5.3%. However, the sector remained the second-fastest-growing part of the economy, behind only services (5.7%).

This chapter contains an interview with Peter Ndegwa, Former Managing Director, Ghana Breweries Limited.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Bearing fruit: Industry players and the government are working together to boost yields
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Even as Ghana’s oil and gas industry continues to expand, the agricultural sector remains a vital contributor to economic activity, employing more than half of the working population. The country cultivates a rich array of staples and cash crops, and is the second-largest producer worldwide of cocoa. The government has in recent years prioritised greater use of machinery, as well as hybrid seedlings and fertiliser. Even so, the process of modernising the sector has been slow and Ghana’s agricultural…

Interview

Local sourcing: OBG talks to Peter Ndegwa, Former Managing Director, Ghana Breweries Limited
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Interview: Peter Ndegwa In what ways has consumer spending in Ghana evolved in recent years? PETER NDEGWA: Ghana’s growth in the past five years has given us confidence that consumer purchasing power, and demand for premium brands in particular, will continue to grow in the medium term. Local sourcing has allowed companies to provide feasible alternatives for all categories of customers, and allows firms to maintain a competitive pricing structure. How feasible is local sourcing in Ghana? NDEGWA:…

Analysis

Fertile results: Subsidies to promote fertiliser use have been largely successful and may be phased out
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In 2008 Ghana implemented the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme (FSP), aimed at using fertiliser to boost overall crop productivity. While it increased domestic consumption, it also entailed considerable financial outlay. From the GHS395.2m ($109.7m) allocated to the agriculture sector in the 2015 national budget, about GHS347.2m ($96.3m) – or 87.9% – is earmarked for initiatives like the FSP, Agricultural Mechanisation Services and the Youth in Agriculture Block Farm Programme, with the government…

Analysis

Going big: The government is inviting agricultural conglomerates to develop huge tracts of land
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Land ownership and transactions are among the largest obstacles to the development of Ghana’s agricultural sector. Smallholder farms of less than 3 ha continue to account for around 90% of agricultural producers, with traditional land ownership structures acting as an impediment to attempts to consolidate arable land into larger tracts that can be properly mechanised. “In the past we did not have a workable framework, but as of 2014 we’ve had positive consultations with traditional authorities,…

Analysis

Bittersweet: Cocoa has struggled in recent years, but industry players are hopeful about the prospects for a turnaround
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Cocoa has traditionally accounted for a significant proportion of Ghana’s GDP, and while other commodities like gold and oil now bring in more money, cocoa remains a key contributor to rural development. According to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), agriculture contributes around 40% of Ghana’s export earnings, with cocoa accounting for the largest part of this, providing up to 75% of agricultural export earnings. The country grossed around $1.9bn from exports of cocoa and its derivatives…