Experts along the agricultural value chain are demanding bold and decisive strategies and policies to revamp Ghana’s agricultural space.
They are calling on the government to institute an Agric Fund similar to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) which supports the education sector.
They believe that with statutory funding support, agriculture would serve an essential role in absorbing more young persons into the space for economic growth.
Agriculture stakeholders from across the country converged in Kumasi for the Agri-SME and Finance Summit, an initiative aimed at unlocking opportunities for young people and women in Ghana’s agribusiness sector.
The summit under the ‘Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY)’ initiative of TechnoServe, in partnership with Agri-Impact Limited and with support from the Mastercard Foundation.
The HAPPY program is a four-year initiative designed to create over 326,000 dignified jobs nationwide, with a deliberate focus on women and persons with disabilities.
The event brought together 21 agribusinesses, alongside financial institutions, equipment suppliers, aggregators, and logistics partners.
Chief Executive Officer of Agri-Impact Limited, Daniel Fahene Acquaye, stressed the need for innovative financing
“The GETFund supports education. Education is the supply side of skilled labour, Agric is the demand and the consumption part of skilled labour. So, if you invest heavily in Education, you are producing a lot of skilled labour. But we need an Agri-Fund which is the supply side to absorb the youth,” he noted.
He continued that: “Agribusinesses need more than just credit; they require tailored financing models, market access, and technology to become competitive and sustainable”.
The summit focused on how youth- and women-led Agri-SMEs can access financing, modern equipment, and technology to scale-up production, reduce post-harvest losses, and strengthen their place in Ghana’s agricultural value chain.
Programs Director for TechnoServe, Frank Obiora Mgbemena, underscored the essence of collaboration in transforming agribusiness.
“This platform is about forging partnerships that will help young people and women in agribusiness thrive. We are committed to building a more inclusive and prosperous agricultural sector,” he said.
Participants are expected to build stronger market and financing links, explore new investment pipelines, and find practical solutions for acquiring essential machinery.
“With TechnoServe funding and the Happy program, the main focus is put on our tomato sauce production which will benefit the whole country at large,” one of the beneficiaries said.