Oct 30, 2026
The Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana, Professor Robert Darko Osei, has called for increased investment in manufacturing to translate Ghana’s economic growth and macroeconomic stability into sustainable jobs and improved living conditions.
He said although the economy was recording growth and signs of stability, deliberate efforts were needed to ensure that the gains translated into increased employment, higher productivity and improved access to credit for businesses.
Speaking at the launch of the 35th edition of the State of the Ghanaian Economy Report in Accra on Tuesday, Prof. Darko Osei said Ghana needed to sustain its economic growth while ensuring that the sectors driving it created jobs and improved people’s livelihoods.
He identified manufacturing as a key sector for job creation and called for investment to improve industrial productivity, competitiveness and value addition.
Source: https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh
Oct 29, 2026
The European Union is seeking deeper investment partnerships with Ghanaian agribusinesses to strengthen food security, expand agricultural exports and increase the value generated from locally produced commodities.
EU Ambassador to Ghana Rune Skinnebach says the opportunity lies in moving beyond raw commodity production towards processing, storage and stronger distribution networks that can make Ghanaian agricultural products more competitive in regional and international markets.
Speaking at the EU-Ghana Agri Business Exhibition organised by EuroCham Ghana, Skinnebach said the partnership between European investors and Ghanaian businesses could unlock commercial opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
“The opportunity ahead is not only to produce more, but to capture more value from what Ghana produces,” he said.
He identified cold-chain infrastructure, packaging, branding and processing as critical areas for investment, arguing that stronger value chains could create opportunities for farmers, processors, exporters, women entrepreneurs and young people.
The EU is looking to contribute through its Global Gateway Strategy and Team Europe approach, which seek to mobilise investment, technology and expertise for sustainable production and infrastructure.
European companies can provide agricultural machinery, processing technology, financing and access to distribution networks, while Ghanaian businesses contribute local expertise and market knowledge.
Ambassador Skinnebach also pointed to the Economic Partnership Agreement between Ghana and the EU, which marks its tenth anniversary this year, as a platform for expanding agricultural trade.
The agreement provides eligible Ghanaian products with duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market, creating opportunities for exporters of fresh produce and processed foods.
However, he stressed that businesses must meet European requirements on food safety, quality and traceability to realise the benefits.
“The agreement is not simply about exporting more to Europe. It’s about building a more competitive agribusiness sector here in Ghana,” he said.
Skinnebach acknowledged that market access alone would not deliver the desired results, citing access to finance, reliable infrastructure and predictable regulations as necessary conditions for investment.
He urged businesses to use the exhibition to establish lasting commercial partnerships and turn investment opportunities into concrete projects.
For Ghana, the priority is to translate stronger EU ties into domestic processing capacity, competitive agricultural exports and more resilient food supply chains.
Oct 28, 2026
The National Food Buffer Stock Company Ltd (NAFCO) and the Ghana Industrial Cassava Stakeholders’ Platform (GICSP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the supply of locally produced Gari to schools under the Free Senior High School Programme.
NAFCO CEO, Mr George Abradu-Otoo and the President of GICSP, Mr. Chris Quarshie initialled the MoU intended to boost local production and processing of Gari and curb the supply of imported gari in schools.
The move is also a response to reported glut of cassava and cassava-related products in parts of the country during the last farming season, compelling many local farmers to call for state intervention.
Under the framework of the MoU, the group and its members are expected to aggregate the product from local farmers and processors for onward distribution to schools on behalf of NAFCO.
NAFCO supplied some 4,800 metric tones of Gari to senior high schools last academic year and the new arrangements are intended to enhance traceability, quality and uninterrupted supplies.
NAFCO had earlier signed similar arrangements with local palm oil processors.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Industrial Cassava Stakeholders’ Platform, Mr Shadrach Sarpei Kwadey, noted that in addition to market access, the MOU provides an opportunity for economic growth in rural communities.
Oct 27, 2026
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has cut the sod for the construction of a GH¢4.1 million inland valley irrigation project at Aninkroma in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region.
The project, which would be completed in 16 months, is being implemented under the Food System Resilience Project (FSRP) by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in collaboration with the Atwima Nwabiagya North District Assembly and is targeted at boosting agricultural production, strengthening food security and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for farmers.
Upon completion, the project is expected to also improve farmers’ access to suitable agricultural land, increase crop production and create employment opportunities in Aninkroma and surrounding communities.
The investment forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Ghana’s agricultural sector through infrastructure development, improved water management and expanded farming opportunities.
Mr Opoku, who is also the Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, was assisted by his Deputy, John Dumelo, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Mba Zechariah Alenbilla and Nana Gyedu Kumanin IV, Amakyebarehene. Also present were officials from the Ashanti Regional Department of Agriculture, FSRP coordinators, project consultants, contractors, assembly members, farmers and residents from Aninkroma and surrounding communities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Opoku emphasised the importance of investing in agricultural infrastructure to enhance productivity, improve farmers’ incomes and contribute to the country’s food security agenda.
500 acres secured
He said approximately 500 acres of land had been secured for the project, which was expected to provide a reliable, year-round water supply for farmers in the project area and beyond.
The project is expected to support irrigation, promote all-season farming and improve agricultural productivity, particularly rice cultivation and other farming activities that depend on reliable water resources.
Mr Opoku said the project would include the construction of bunds to support rice farmers in the catchment area by improving water management and creating favourable conditions for cultivation.
He said the Ashanti Region remained a major centre of agricultural production and value-chain activities in the country, adding that the government was committed to supporting the sector’s development.
He noted that farming remained a major occupation in many of the region’s 43 districts, making investments in agricultural infrastructure essential to improving livelihoods and promoting economic growth.
The minister called on the youth, particularly young men and women, to consider farming as a viable economic venture, citing its potential to generate income and create employment opportunities.
He reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to supporting initiatives that would promote economic development, improve agricultural production and enhance the livelihoods of residents.
The Amakyebarehene, Nana Gyedu Kumanin IV, who chaired the ceremony, commended the government and the Minister for Food and Agriculture for the initiative.
Source:https://www.graphic.com.gh
Oct 27, 2026
Minister for Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku has donated GH¢50,000 to Ghana’s national amputee football team, the Black Challenge, and pledged a poultry enterprise package for eight locally based players, linking World Cup preparations with economic opportunities beyond the pitch.
The proposed package includes battery cages, laying birds, feed and technical expertise. Opoku said Deputy Minister John Dumelo would coordinate the support after the players return from the tournament in Mexico.
The commitment gives substance to the link between agriculture and sport: backing athletes to represent Ghana while helping them build businesses and contribute to the country’s food production.
Opoku announced the support during a visit to the team’s training session at the University of Ghana. He was accompanied by Dumelo, the ministry’s Chief Director and its budget officer.
“You are going to hold the flag of Ghana, and our presence here indicates that the whole nation is behind you,” he told the players.
The minister said the team needed motivational and financial support to prepare for the international assignment, urging the players to compete with confidence.
“You are stronger than you know,” he said, encouraging them to make Ghana proud.
The GH¢50,000 donation follows a GH¢100,000 contribution from dancehall artiste Stonebwoy. Together, the two contributions amount to GH¢150,000 in support for the team’s preparations.
Opoku said he had been informed that the team comprised eight locally based players and seven based in Turkey. He invited the eight players based in Ghana to join the government’s Nkoko Nketenkete poultry programme after the World Cup.
“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is putting together a special package, so as soon as you return, get in touch with us,” he said.
“The Honourable Dumelo will handle all of you.”
Listing the proposed assistance, Opoku said the ministry would provide cages, laying birds, feed and the technical expertise to establish the players as poultry farmers, adding that the intention was for them to “have something to live on.”
The announcement extends the discussion of athlete welfare to income during and after competitive sport. For the players, a viable poultry enterprise could help support their households while they continue training and competing.
Opoku also connected the pledge to the ministry’s national responsibility to produce enough food for Ghanaians and generate a surplus for export.
Nkoko Nketenkete is the household and backyard poultry component of the Feed Ghana Programme, launched by President John Dramani Mahama. The programme’s stated aims include improving food security and household incomes through increased domestic production.
Extending participation to the Black Challenge would give that agricultural agenda a practical expression of inclusion, recognising athletes with disabilities as potential entrepreneurs and producers.
If delivered with accessible training, suitable facilities and continuing technical support, the package could provide an example for cooperation between sports institutions and agricultural agencies. The broader opportunity is to create pathways through which other Para athletes can participate in agribusiness on terms suited to their interests and circumstances.
The players have been asked to contact the ministry after returning from Mexico. The commitment now gives the ministry and the team a clear basis for agreeing how the promised enterprises will be established and supported.
Ghana will face Angola, Colombia and Iraq in Group D of the 2026 World Amputee Football Federation World Cup, scheduled for 13–22 November in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico. Twenty-four national teams will compete for the title.
As the Black Challenge prepare for that contest, Opoku’s message combines national backing with a prospect of greater economic independence.
“You have the full support of the entire citizenry of this country,” he assured the players.
Source:https://www.myjoyonline.com
