Author: Sefakor

Smallholder cocoa farmers in Ghana have launched a central coordinating association in hopes to become a part of the decision-making processes in the cocoa sector, to ensure representation of their interest as key stakeholders in cocoa production. The Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association Limited (GCCFA), as they are known, comprises of 75 cooperative unions from nine cocoa-growing regions in Ghana. Before the creation of the Association, cocoa farmers’ cooperative unions, each comprising of various cooperatives within a region, operated independently and in isolation, which made engagement at different decision-making levels within the cocoa value chain limited to only…

The National Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) says it needs about GH¢700 million desperately to enable it to carry out its task of stocking food on behalf of the nation. This was made known by the Chief Executive Officer of NAFCO, George Abradu-Otoo. According to him, the company was instituted to stock food on behalf of the country as an intervention measure in the event of any food shortage or unforeseen disasters in the country. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Abradu-Otoo said “Our mandate is to stock food on behalf of the nation, in order to be able…

Cashew production plays a significant role in Ghana’s economy, particularly in rural development and export revenues. The cashew sector employs over 200,000 Ghanaians, mostly in rural areas. This contributes significantly to poverty alleviation and improving livelihoods in these regions. However, in recent times, the alarming rise of illegal mining, known locally as ‘galamsey’, has begun to devastate cashew farms in Bono Region – posing threats to the sustainability of cashew production and livelihoods of many farmers. Illegal miners in the Bono region have encroached some cashew production areas in Wenchi Municipality and Banda District, with their activities causing significant damage…

The Israeli Economic and Trade Mission in Ghana has organised an engagement with Vegetable Producers and Exporters in Ghana on using modern technologies to boost vegetable production targeting the international market. Under the theme: “Bridging Innovation and Growth in Vegetable Production and Export “, the event sought to enhance Ghana’s vegetable industry through Israeli agri-tech innovations, whilst offering training and workshops to enhance vegetable farmers’ expertise. Speaking to journalists at the sidelines of the meeting at the Tang Palace hotel in Accra on 12 March, 2025, the Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Roey Gilad highlighted the…

The vegetable industry in Ghana is currently being recognised for its massive contribution to the country’s economic growth and food security, and as a result, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has pledged that, it is committed to promoting a conducive environment for the growth of the vegetable sector in the country. Speaking on behalf of the sector Minister during an engagement with Vegetable Producers and Exporters in Ghana, organised by the Israeli Economic and Trade Mission to Ghana on 12 March, 2025 at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, Paul Siameh who is the Acting chief Director at…

The Minister for Finance, Dr. Casiel Ato Forson has reiterated the government’s position to support the agricultural sector in Ghana for transformation and job creation. Delivering his speech on the country’s budget statement and economic policy at Parliament House in Accra on Tuesday, 11 March, 2025, the finance minister indicated that, “ the government has allocated an amount of 1.5 billion Ghana cedis for the agricultural for economic transformational programmes, Feed Ghana, Vegetable Development Project and Nkoko Nketenkete as key components.” The Poultry Farm to Table initiative, otherwise referred to as ‘Nkoko nketenkete’ programme by the government is an initiative…

The minister of Finance, Dr. Casiel Ato Forson has announced that, the country’s cocoa sector has declined by 50% over the past three years, due to mismanagement by the previous administration. According to the minister, COCOBOD was unable to meet its contractual obligations of “supplying 330,000 tonnes of cocoa in the 2023/2024 crop season, which has sharply affected the finances of Ghana COCBOD.” Dr. Ato Forson made these revelations during his presentation of the country’s budget statement and economic policy under the theme: “resetting the economy for Ghana we want”, at Parliament House in Accra on Tuesday, 11 March, 2025.…

A cross-section of Ghanaians in the agricultural sector is eagerly awaiting significant attention to the industry in the upcoming budget presentation that will enhance productivity, income and food security. Dr. Casiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, is scheduled to present the 2025 budget to Parliament on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The budget is expected to address pressing issues such as Ghana’s high inflation rates, unstable exchange rates, and challenges facing the agricultural sector, among other economic concerns. The presentation aligns with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). This…

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) is advocating for the prioritisation of agriculture policies to reduce the country’s $2 billion annual food import bill. According to the agric Association, the country has the ability to produce enough food products locally however, it needs greater support in mechanised farming, all-year-round agriculture instead of rain-fed systems while calling for transparent subsidies on agricultural inputs. The Acting Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Bismark Nortey, made these pronouncements whilst speaking to Citi Business News on the need for urgent policy interventions to transform the sector said, “Currently, one of…

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has called for the creation of a strategic relationship between agriculture and industry, stressing the need for such collaborations to enhance job opportunities for the youth and the good people of Ghana. According to him, the “symbiotic relationship between agriculture and industry must be mutually beneficial, so that, there can be jobs for the youth, whilst ensuring food sufficiency to the theming population.” Hon. Opoku also stressed the need to channel resources to more important agricultural interventions whilst cancelling those that no longer serve their purpose. “There is the need for us…