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The Government of Ghana has unveiled a ma-jor agricultural initiative, the Feed Ghana Programme, to transform the country’s food production systems, reduce reli-ance on imports, and create jobs for thousands of Ghanaians.

Launched as part of efforts to accelerate agricultural growth, the programme is expected to modernise farming, strengthen agro-processing, and put commu-nity commodity farmer coopera-tives/Farmer-based organisations (FBOs) at the heart of the coun-try’s food security agenda.

Boosting agricultural productivity

Ghana’s agriculture sector has long struggled with low produc-tivity due to limited access to inputs, weak mechanisation, and poor market linkages.

The Feed Ghana Programme directly addresses these challeng-es. It aims to support farmers with improved seeds, fertilisers, mechanisation services, and ex-tension support while introduc-ing climate-smart practices.

By investing in these areas, the programme promises to raise yields in cereals, legumes, vegeta-bles, tubers, and tree crops, while expanding livestock and poultry production.

The initiative prioritises value chains where Ghana has both high demand and untapped po-tential. These include rice, maize, soybean, sorghum, millet, tomato, pepper, onion, cassava, yam, plantain, poultry, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, cashew, shea, mango, coconut, and oil palm.

By focusing on these commod-ities, the programme ensures that farmers can both feed the nation and supply raw materials for local agro-industries.

Reducing food imports

Ghana spends over two billion dollars annually importing rice, poultry, onions, and other staples. This dependency drains foreign exchange and exposes the econo-my to global price shocks.

The Feed Ghana Programme aims to resolve this challenge by deliberately substituting imports with domestic production.

For example, boosting rice and poultry production is expected to significantly cut imports, while increasing vegetable production will ensure greater availability of tomatoes, onions, and peppers throughout the year.

By strengthening local supply chains, the programme not only saves the country foreign curren-cy but also creates opportunities for farmers and processors to capture a larger share of the domestic food market.

Creating jobs for the youth

A critical promise of the programme is job creation. From farm production and mechanisa-tion services to storage, transpor-tation, processing, and marketing, thousands of direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created.

The youth, women, and per-sons with disabilities are a key target group. With support for training, financing, and market access, they can take up op-portunities in modern farming, agro-processing, input distribu-tion, and agribusiness services.

Sub-programmes

The programme aims to achieve its wide-ranging goals; the Feed Ghana Programme is built around nine sub-pro-grammes:

1. Crop Development– Im-proving cereal, legume, vegetable, and tuber productivity.

2. Livestock Development – Expanding poultry, cattle, sheep, goats, and pig production.

3. Farmer Service Centres – Establishing one-stop shops for seeds, fertilisers, mechanisation, and extension.

4. Farm Bank Development – Mobilising banks to extend credit tailored for farmers.

5. Institutional Farming– En-couraging schools, prisons, and hospitals to cultivate farms for self-reliance.

6. Feed the Industry– Strength-ening linkages between farmers and agro-processors.

7. Infrastructure and Agro-Pro-duction Enclaves – Building irrigation systems, warehouses, and production hubs.

8. Innovative Agricultural Financing – Combining con-cessional loans, insurance, and commercial bank lending.

9. Institutional Development and Regulatory Framework – Ensuring policies and regulations support sustainable growth.

Together, these sub-pro-grammes address production, fi-nancing, markets, and institution-al support, making the initiative comprehensive in scope.

Spotlight on farmer cooperatives

The most distinctive feature of the Feed Ghana Programme is its emphasis on farmer cooperatives and Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs).

Recognising that individual farmers often struggle to access resources, the programme en-courages them to organise into commodity-based groups to ben-efit from economies of scale.

Benefits for cooperatives include:

Access to inputs and mecha-nisation through Farmer Service Centres.

• Subsidised livestock and poultry inputs, including high-yield breeds.

• Market linkages with buyers and agro-processors.

• Agricultural credit and insurance via banks and mobile platforms.

• Capacity building in leadership, record-keeping, and ad-vocacy.

By working as coopera-tives, farmers can produce more competitively, lower costs, and negotiate better prices for their produce.

How farmers can participate

Participation in the programme is open, but structured. Farmers must belong to community-based FBOs or cooperatives. Where these do not exist, they are en-couraged to form new ones.

Farmers are also advised to contact their local Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) for information, sensitisation, and guidance on registration.

How cooperatives and FBOs can participate

Groups with at least fifteen (15) members are eligible for the programme. Registration requires information such as:

• Community name and type of commodity.

• Group size (between 15 and 40 members).

• Total cropped area of the cooperative and per farmer.

• Status of the group (new or existing).

Existing groups must also indi-cate whether they are registered with the Department of Coop-eratives, District Assembly, or Department of Agriculture.

Applicants are expected to provide a membership list with names, sex, Ghana Card num-bers, contact details, and leader-ship information.

Role of agric departments

Regional and District Agricul-tural Departments will serve as the backbone of implementa-tion. They will provide technical backstopping, register new FBOs, validate information for existing cooperatives, and monitor group activities.

They are to also lead educa-tional campaigns to ensure farm-ers understand and benefit fully from the programme.

The Feed Ghana Programme is more than an agriculture initia-tive—it is an economic transfor-mation agenda. By boosting pro-ductivity, reducing imports, and creating jobs, the programme has the potential to reshape Ghana’s food systems and empower rural communities.

With farmer cooperatives at its centre, it ensures that smallholder farmers are not left behind but instead become key drivers of national food security and indus-trial growth.

When fully implemented, the programme could set Ghana on the path to self-sufficiency in food production while creating sustainable jobs and building a stronger economy for future generations.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture rallies the nation to take this programme as a national agenda and fully participate in the programme at all levels to ensure successful implementation.

The writer is Head, Public Relations Unit

Ministry of Food and Agri-culture (MoFA)

BY OSEI-OPOKU GYAMFI

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