The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has detailed the government’s comprehensive roadmap to achieve food sovereignty and industrial raw material security through the Feed Ghana Programme.
Appearing before Parliament, the Minister outlined a strategic framework designed to move the nation beyond subsistence farming and into a high-yield, mechanized agricultural economy.
“The programme aims to boost the productivity and production of 22 priority commodities through targeted interventions, including enhancing access to improved agricultural inputs, fertilisers, seeds, agrochemicals, etc., expanded irrigation, mechanisation and land, improved market access and enhanced agricultural financing”
Hon. Eric Opoku, Minister for Food and Agriculture
The Minister explained that the 22 priority commodities targeted by the initiative through a structured system of nine sub-programmes range from essential grains to industrial tree crops.
According to Hon. Opoku, these measures are engineered to maximize land use, enhance farmer incomes, and provide the steady supply of raw materials required to sustain Ghana’s growing manufacturing sector.
The Feed Ghana Programme is not merely an input distribution scheme but a structural overhaul of the agricultural value chain.
By focusing on Crop and Livestock Development, Farmer Service Centres, and Farm Banks, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is addressing the three primary bottlenecks of Ghanaian agriculture: “land access, technical expertise, and mechanization.”
Hon. Opoku added that the establishment of Farm Banks, in particular, is a game-changer for large-scale production, as it facilitates the secure lease of arable land to commercial farmers and youth looking to enter the sector.
The vision is supported by a focus on Innovative Agricultural Financing, which seeks to de-risk the sector for private lenders. By lowering the barriers to credit, Government ensures that farmers can invest in the irrigation and harvesting equipment necessary to increase seasonal output and guard against climate volatility.
22 Priority Commodities
The Minister observed the Ministry’s narrowed focus to 22 key value chains that are essential for both domestic consumption and industrial processing.
He revealed that under the grains and legumes category, the government is prioritizing rice, maize, soybeans, and sorghum. These crops are the foundation of national food security and the primary inputs for the local poultry and livestock industries.
He added that the poultry sector, specifically, stands to benefit from the Livestock Development sub-programme, which targets the production of cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs to reduce Ghana’s heavy reliance on imported meat.
“We are also looking at tomato, pepper, onion and other vegetables, as well as starchy crops, like cassava, plantain and yam,” Hon. Opoku highlighted.
The strategy also extends to high-value tree crops like “mango, cashew, coconut, and oil palm.” These commodities are vital for Ghana’s export diversification goals, linking directly with the marketing efforts of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) to secure foreign exchange and penetrate European and Asian markets.
Linking Farm to Factory
A standout feature of the Minister’s briefing was the Feed the Industry sub-programme. This initiative acts as the critical link between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
By ensuring that local factories – such as the newly inspected Olam Agri pasta plant – have a consistent, high-quality supply of local wheat or maize substitutes, the government is creating a self-sustaining economic loop. This alignment is essential for the success of the 24-Hour Economy policy, as industrial growth is impossible without a reliable agricultural backbone.
“The nine sub-programmes under the Feed Ghana Programme include crop development, livestock development, establishment of farmer service centres, farm bank development, institutional farming, feeder industry, agro-production inputs and irrigation for wealth creation”
Hon. Eric Opoku, Minister for Food and Agriculture
The Minister emphasized that the Farmer Service Centres will act as local hubs for technology transfer, providing smallholders with the same mechanization and irrigation advantages usually reserved for large-scale commercial estates.
This “wealth creation,” approach ensures that efficiency gains at the top of the chain trickle down to the individual farmer’s household income.
Hon. Eric Opoku’s detailed response in Parliament served as a formal declaration of intent for the 2026-2030 agricultural cycle. By integrating institutional development and management research into the programme, the Ministry is building a data-driven system that can adapt to global market trends and local weather patterns.
As the Feed Ghana Programme moves from the legislative floor to the field, the success of the initiative will be measured by the reduction in food inflation and the increased volume of “Made in Ghana” products on international shelves.
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