Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has sounded an alarm on the country’s overdependence on food imports, describing it as a critical threat to economic stability and true national independence.
Speaking at the recently held AgriFair, the minister called for a national reorientation of agricultural priorities, noting that Ghana spends over $2 billion annually on food imports—a figure he described as both “economically unsustainable” and a paradox given the country’s natural endowments.
“As we speak, we import a lot of food into Ghana. Our food import is estimated above $2 billion annually, and so every year, we throw away $2 billion to the foreign market to go and buy food to supplement local production,” Mr. Opoku lamented. “Clearly, our agricultural landscape is a paradox that must be looked at critically.”
Mr. Opoku argued that Ghana cannot achieve real national freedom or economic sovereignty if it continues to depend on external sources for food.
“We all understand that a hungry man is not a free man. So for us to free our people and give them absolute freedom, we need to produce food in abundance to feed the people of Ghana.”
Eric Opoku
The minister stressed that food security is not just a developmental issue but a fundamental pillar of sovereignty. “We must feed ourselves to be truly free,” he declared, echoing sentiments that connect agricultural productivity to national dignity, peace, and economic resilience.
The Case for Agricultural Self-Sufficiency
Ghana’s current agricultural model, heavily reliant on imports to meet domestic food demands, not only drains valuable foreign exchange but also stifles local production. According to the minister, the country possesses all the ingredients for self-sufficiency: arable land, favourable weather, water resources, affordable labour, and access to regional markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Nature has bestowed on us a lot of agricultural potential. We have what it takes to use agriculture to engender economic growth,” Mr. Opoku remarked. He urged policymakers, the private sector, and all stakeholders to harness these advantages strategically to transform agriculture into a national engine for development.
Beyond food security, the minister emphasized the broader economic benefits of an agriculturally self-reliant Ghana. By reducing the food import bill, Ghana can conserve foreign reserves, create jobs, stabilize rural communities, and foster agro-industrial growth.
“Instead of exporting jobs to other countries by buying their food, we can create employment here—on our farms, in our processing plants, and across our agricultural value chain,” Mr. Opoku explained. He added that strengthening domestic agriculture would help reduce inflation, ensure stable food prices, and boost GDP growth.
Mr. Opoku called for a national mindset shift toward valuing agriculture not as a fallback sector, but as a central pillar of Ghana’s industrial and developmental agenda. He advocated for stronger support systems for farmers, including financing, technology access, mechanization, irrigation, and extension services.
“We must see agriculture not as an option but as a necessity for national survival and prosperity,” the minister said. He urged Ghanaians to view farming with renewed respect and to invest in it as both a profitable and patriotic endeavour.
As global food supply chains become more vulnerable due to climate change, geopolitical tensions, and pandemics, Ghana’s dependence on imported food puts its citizens at increasing risk. The message from the Agric Minister is clear: the time to act is now.
Reducing the country’s $2 billion food import bill will not only save critical foreign currency but will also lay the foundation for inclusive growth, sustainable development, and real national independence. With the right policies and collective will, Ghana can feed itself—and, in doing so, feed its freedom.
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