Agriculture
From The Report: Ghana 2018
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Employing over half the national labour force, agriculture has long played a pivotal role in Ghana´s economy, and its key agriculture product, cocoa, is one of the top-three export commodities. After years of slower growth, the sector is poised for a revival, particularly given the strong government and private interest in advancing development through technological innovation. As long as initiatives are well coordinated along the value chain, domestic use and export-focused commercial agriculture is likely to make steady progress in the short term.

This chapter contains an interview with Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Sustainable solutions: Prioritising efforts to increase domestic production and lower dependence on imports while bolstering key exports
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Although oil and gas have been the focus of domestic economic headlines over the last decade, agriculture remains a key pillar of the economy. It employs almost half of the national labour force, and a key agricultural product – cocoa – is one of the country’s top-three export commodities (see analysis). Upon assuming office in January 2017 President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration continued to highlight one of its primary campaign platforms: jumpstarting the agriculture sector.…

Analysis

Bittersweet times: Working to bolster cocoa production and emphasise the need to increase processing for higher added value
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As the world’s second-largest producer of cocoa after neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana watches its production levels and its position in the global market closely. The country’s smallholder farmers produce an estimated 20% of the world’s cocoa, and cocoa accounts for 8-12% of Ghana’s GDP and 40% of its foreign exchange earnings, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. In 2017 global cocoa prices were forecast to increase slightly over 2016, although challenges,…

Interview

Support for farmers: Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, on increasing output through farmer empowerment
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Interview: Owusu Afriyie Akoto To what extent is there room for increased self-sufficiency and reduced reliance on imports? OWUSU AFRIYIE AKOTO: Ensuring that Ghana is self-sufficient is one of our key areas of focus. Unfortunately, over the last decade, the value of eight food imports that Ghana relies on rose from $350m to $2.2bn, which is very close to our total export revenue from cocoa. This rise in value is not only attributable to higher global prices but also to increased demand. The food…

Analysis

New practices: The government takes measures to improve the management of the fisheries sector and expand domestic production
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Unlike commodities such as cocoa, produced mainly for export, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that 75% of Ghana’s annual fish production is for domestic use. Indeed, fish consumption accounts for up to 60% of animal protein in the average Ghanaian diet, with average annual per capita fish consumption estimated at 26 kg. According to the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (2017-19) published by Ghana’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD),…

Analysis

Tech help: Efforts to increase integration of science and technology with traditional sectors
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With only a few remaining years to accomplish the goals of Ghana Vision 2020, the country is pushing forward to integrate science and technology into government initiatives, especially in the agriculture sector. In January 2017 President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the state’s renewed commitment to technology in agriculture, emphasising the need to digitise land records, introduce mobile agriculture extension services and increase access to finance. “ICT provides easier access to markets…

Analysis

Meeting demand: Initiatives are being introduced to increase self-sufficiency
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Despite the fact that close to 70% of Ghana’s land area is used for farming, the country remains a net importer of agricultural products, including basic commodities, such as rice and wheat. In 2015 the US Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) estimated that only around half of all cereal and meat consumed is produced locally. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister of food and agriculture, told international media in June 2017 that the country’s food imports totalled $2.2bn in 2015, up from $344m in 2007. In…