Jul 31, 2026
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has dismissed claims that the government’s $300 million World Bank loan is intended to finance the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme.
His comments follow criticism from the Minority in Parliament, who argued that the loan was evidence of the government’s inability to manage the economy a few months after Ghana exited the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
The Minority had suggested that the government was seeking the facility to sustain the implementation of the Free SHS policy.
Speaking in an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, July 27, Mr Iddrisu rejected the assertion, explaining that the loan is aimed at addressing long-standing challenges within the secondary education sector.
He said the facility will support efforts to end the double-track system, upgrade existing schools, improve the quality of education and expand access for more students.
“We’re borrowing to expand secondary education infrastructure. Don’t forget there was secondary education before Free SHS. We have finished our review; it has come to stay,” he said.
The Education Minister outlined three major areas the government is focusing on, including infrastructure expansion, improving feeding arrangements and enhancing the quality of education.
According to him, a budgetary allocation of about GH¢3.4 billion has been made available through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) in 2026 to address feeding challenges under the Free SHS programme.
He added that the government is also focused on improving the quality of graduates by strengthening teacher professionalism, updating curriculum content and placing greater emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and information technology.
Mr Iddrisu said the World Bank facility is specifically intended to help eliminate the double-track system, which he said has affected teaching and learning time between students and teachers.
“The World Bank loan is to help us end the double-track system, which didn’t allow for qualitative enhancement in terms of time hours between teachers and students. Within the next 24 months, we should see an end to the double-track system,” he stated.
He cited schools including Prempeh College and St Peter’s Senior High School as institutions that have started making progress towards ending the double-track system.
Jul 29, 2026
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) have launched a five-year partnership aimed at improving rice production, strengthening food and nutrition security, and reducing Africa’s estimated $6 billion annual rice import bill.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will combine AfricaRice’s expertise in rice research and technology development with AATF’s experience in scaling agricultural innovations to smallholder farmers across 32 African countries.
According to AfricaRice, the continent currently produces more than 30 million metric tonnes of rice annually, with Nigeria, Egypt and Madagascar among the leading producers. Despite this, Africa continues to rely heavily on imports to meet growing consumer demand.
Under the agreement, the two organisations will work together to strengthen the rice value chain by expanding farmers’ access to improved rice varieties, including high-yielding hybrid rice, while promoting technologies that increase productivity from seed production to processing and marketing.
The collaboration will focus on quality seed production and distribution, good agricultural practices, mechanisation, decision-support tools for efficient input use, and improved rice processing technologies.
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) have launched a five-year partnership aimed at improving rice production, strengthening food and nutrition security, and reducing Africa’s estimated $6 billion annual rice import bill.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will combine AfricaRice’s expertise in rice research and technology development with AATF’s experience in scaling agricultural innovations to smallholder farmers across 32 African countries.
According to AfricaRice, the continent currently produces more than 30 million metric tonnes of rice annually, with Nigeria, Egypt and Madagascar among the leading producers. Despite this, Africa continues to rely heavily on imports to meet growing consumer demand.
Under the agreement, the two organisations will work together to strengthen the rice value chain by expanding farmers’ access to improved rice varieties, including high-yielding hybrid rice, while promoting technologies that increase productivity from seed production to processing and marketing.
The collaboration will focus on quality seed production and distribution, good agricultural practices, mechanisation, decision-support tools for efficient input use, and improved rice processing technologies.
Director-General of AfricaRice, Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, said the partnership is designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical application.
“Through this partnership, we will work together with AATF to develop and promote mechanised tools and agricultural equipment to reduce drudgery in rice production, improve processing efficiency and enhance the quality of locally produced rice,” he said.
Executive Director of AATF, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, described the collaboration as timely, noting that Africa’s food systems are under increasing pressure from population growth, climate change and declining agricultural productivity.
“We stand at a crossroads in Africa’s food production journey, where population growth, climate change and declining agricultural productivity continue to threaten food and nutrition security. By investing in agricultural innovations, we have a unique opportunity to transform African agriculture into a powerful driver of economic growth,” he said.
The organisations said the partnership would accelerate the adoption of improved rice technologies and support Africa’s drive towards greater rice self-sufficiency through stronger collaboration between research institutions, governments and the private sector.
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) have launched a five-year partnership aimed at improving rice production, strengthening food and nutrition security, and reducing Africa’s estimated $6 billion annual rice import bill.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will combine AfricaRice’s expertise in rice research and technology development with AATF’s experience in scaling agricultural innovations to smallholder farmers across 32 African countries.
According to AfricaRice, the continent currently produces more than 30 million metric tonnes of rice annually, with Nigeria, Egypt and Madagascar among the leading producers. Despite this, Africa continues to rely heavily on imports to meet growing consumer demand.
Under the agreement, the two organisations will work together to strengthen the rice value chain by expanding farmers’ access to improved rice varieties, including high-yielding hybrid rice, while promoting technologies that increase productivity from seed production to processing and marketing.
The collaboration will focus on quality seed production and distribution, good agricultural practices, mechanisation, decision-support tools for efficient input use, and improved rice processing technologies.
Director-General of AfricaRice, Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, said the partnership is designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical application.
“Through this partnership, we will work together with AATF to develop and promote mechanised tools and agricultural equipment to reduce drudgery in rice production, improve processing efficiency and enhance the quality of locally produced rice,” he said.
Executive Director of AATF, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, described the collaboration as timely, noting that Africa’s food systems are under increasing pressure from population growth, climate change and declining agricultural productivity.
“We stand at a crossroads in Africa’s food production journey, where population growth, climate change and declining agricultural productivity continue to threaten food and nutrition security. By investing in agricultural innovations, we have a unique opportunity to transform African agriculture into a powerful driver of economic growth,” he said.
The organisations said the partnership would accelerate the adoption of improved rice technologies and support Africa’s drive towards greater rice self-sufficiency through stronger collaboration between research institutions, governments and the private sector.
The initiative comes amid growing investment in the continent’s rice sector. At the recent West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, governments, development partners and private investors pledged $1.54 billion to boost domestic rice production, improve processing capacity and reduce dependence on imported rice.
Jul 27, 2026
The Government is working on major irrigation projects, with construction at Atonsu, Ekyeamanfrom and Konadu under the Afram Plains Economic Enclave Irrigation Project reaching between 80 and 92 per cent completion in heavy investment into agriculture.
The projects are expected to provide about 3,330 hectares of irrigable land.
The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, who disclosed this during his presentation of the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review in Parliament last Thursday, said the Tamne Irrigation Project Phase III had reached 75 per cent completion, while rehabilitation work at the Vea, Ashaiman, Aveyime and Dawhenya irrigation schemes had also made significant progress.
He added that the National Food Buffer Stock Company purchased more than 20,000 metric tonnes of grains during the first half of 2026, and planned to increase its stock to about 32,000 metric tonnes by the end of the year.
Local news alerts
Feed Ghana project
The Finance Minister said the government continued to prioritise agriculture through the Feed Ghana Programme, which was supporting higher productivity, import substitution and employment by investing in crop production, livestock, irrigation and mechanisation.
He said the government procured 300 metric tonnes each of maize seed and Agyapa rice seed developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for distribution to farmers, and further acquired 96,000 litres of organic fertiliser, with 24,000 litres already distributed by June this year, alongside the procurement of 18,684 metric tonnes of inorganic fertiliser for similar purposes.
He stated: “500 District Feed Ghana Brigade Officers have been temporarily engaged to improve farmer registration, extension services and field monitoring. Government would also provide 500 motorbikes to strengthen agricultural service delivery across the country”.
Under the National School Farm Initiative, he said 500 senior high schools had registered to receive improved seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals and technical support to equip students with practical agricultural skills.
Ghana travel guide
Poultry production
On poultry production, Dr Forson said 70 anchor farmers had been selected under the Poultry Farm-to-Table Project, while about two million day-old chicks had been brooded and distributed across 10 regions.
Procurement had also started for an additional four million day-old chicks and 500,000 Kuroiler birds to increase domestic poultry production and reduce imports.
Government also procured 47.35 million doses of veterinary vaccines, while 7.14 million doses were produced locally.
“The investments we are making are strengthening agricultural production, creating jobs and reducing the country’s dependence on food import.
We remain committed to supporting farmers and agribusinesses to expand production and improve incomes,” he said.
The Finance Minister also said the first phase of the Women and Youth in Aquaculture Programme was being implemented in 80 districts, benefiting 4,000 people organised into 80 cooperative groups.
The beneficiaries were receiving training in aquaculture production, financial management, entrepreneurship and business planning, while partnerships with private firms and financial institutions were being used to improve access to financing, technical support and markets, he said.
Jul 27, 2026
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has assured Ghanaian farmers that the government is taking urgent steps to address the growing glut of maize and rice in parts of the country, announcing that additional domestic resources are being mobilised to purchase the surplus produce and stabilise the market.
According to the Finance Minister, the government is determined to protect farmers from the financial losses associated with falling prices caused by excess supply, while ensuring that locally produced food reaches institutional markets across the country.
Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, July 24, the minister acknowledged the challenges confronting farmers following bumper harvests in several food-producing areas, which have resulted in an oversupply of grains and a sharp decline in farmgate prices.
“The minister responsible for agric is working and I know Buffer Stock has put in place measures for the maize and rice glut. I will also raise funds internally to mop up this glut.
“We have already given GH¢200 million to the National Food Buffer Stock Company to buy the glut. We have also asked the School Feeding Programme to buy made in Ghana rice.”
Over the past several months, farmers, particularly in the northern, middle belt and other major agricultural regions, have expressed concern over their inability to sell harvested maize and rice at profitable prices.
Many have complained that warehouses are filled with unsold produce while limited market access has left them struggling to recover production costs.
The glut has been attributed to a combination of increased production, inadequate storage capacity, limited processing facilities, weak market linkages and the slow pace of institutional purchases.
Farmer groups have repeatedly appealed to the government to intervene, warning that prolonged low prices could discourage production in subsequent farming seasons and undermine national food security.
Jul 24, 2026
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has dismissed suggestions of a disagreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture over allocations to the agricultural sector, describing the differing figures released by the two institutions as a misunderstanding arising from the distinction between budget releases and actual payments.
His clarification follows public debate over figures contained in the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review after the Ministry of Finance announced that it had released GH¢1.677 billion, representing about 85 per cent of the agriculture sector’s budget for goods, services and capital expenditure during the first half of the year.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture subsequently indicated that the actual cash available to it for spending during the period was about GH¢910 million, prompting questions about the apparent discrepancy.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Thursday, July 23, Dr Forson said the two figures reflected different stages of the public financial management process and therefore should not be directly compared.
“It is difficult for you to reconcile or compare payment to releases based on the explanation I’ve given to you. The two are not the same.”
He stressed that a budgetary release authorised by the Ministry of Finance does not necessarily translate into immediate cash payments to a spending institution.
“The two are not the same. We are saying two different things. One is talking about releases and one is saying how much I have.”
The Finance Minister explained that while the Ministry of Finance reports funds released for expenditure, sector ministries may refer to actual cash received or utilised, accounting for the apparent differences in the figures presented.
He maintained that there was no dispute between the two ministries, adding that officials had since met to harmonise their understanding of the figures.
“I think it’s more about misunderstanding.”
Dr Forson said the Minister for Food and Agriculture had held discussions with officials of the Finance Ministry to clarify the issue, insisting that the matter had been resolved.
“No, there’s no issue. It is not an issue at all. We have since, um, had a discussion around it.”
He added:
“See, honestly, the minister for agriculture visited us to explain his side. We did also explain our side. There’s no issue at all.”
The clarification comes after the presentation of the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review to Parliament on July 23, where the government outlined progress on fiscal performance, expenditure and sectoral financing, including allocations to agriculture, one of the priority sectors under its economic transformation agenda.
The exchange has also drawn attention to the distinction between budget releases approved by the Ministry of Finance and the actual cash disbursements received by spending agencies under Ghana’s public financial management system.
Jul 23, 2026
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has pushed back against concerns over delays in the distribution of farm inputs for the 2026 farming season, insisting that the timing of deliveries is being aligned with the actual crop production cycle.
In a statement shared on Tuesday, July 21, the Ministry said distributing inputs too early could create risks including improper storage, diversion, and application outside the recommended period.
It explained that in northern Ghana, where the major farming season begins in May, fertiliser application typically takes place between late June and the end of July.
Ghana Sports Updates
The Ministry therefore said that inputs for the northern farming season were distributed within the recommended application window.
For southern Ghana, however, the focus is now shifting to the minor farming season, which begins in August, with distribution to targeted areas currently underway.
As part of the intervention, the Ministry says 40,000 bags of inorganic fertiliser have been allocated to the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana for distribution to vulnerable farmers who may not have been covered under allocations channelled through Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.
The intervention also extends to selected irrigation schemes, where the Ministry says it has supplied inputs to support production during the lean season.
Vegetable producers, particularly tomato farmers in targeted production areas, have also received seeds and organic fertilisers, while farmers engaged in irrigated agriculture are expected to receive additional support under the government’s dry-season production initiative.
The Ministry says the interventions are targeted at vulnerable farmers and are designed to provide an emergency cushion against high production costs while boosting output and strengthening food security.
It adds that field officers are supervising the distribution and use of the inputs to ensure that the intended beneficiaries receive the required support.
The Ministry is also projecting an increase in agricultural production this year, citing favourable rainfall patterns and ongoing interventions.
It says the 2026 farming season targets could even be exceeded as government works to transform agriculture from subsistence activity into a more profitable and competitive enterprise.
