The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has urged all investors to invest in the agricultural sector to take advantage of the opportunities embedded in the agricultural sector.
According to him, the agricultural sector in Ghana has undergone transformation due to the Government’s implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).
He made this statement when he was addressing potential investors at a breakfast meeting organized by the Tony Blair Institute of Ghana (TBIG). In his presentation, Dr. Afriyie Akoto mentioned that the huge investments made in the agricultural sector have generated a lot of yields and that Ghana has become the food basket for the West Africa sub-region.
In his speech, he said that “Take soya bean, for example. Before 2017, we were producing less than 100,000 tons, but today, we are producing more than a quarter of a million tons. We have quadrupled our rice production, and we are a net exporter of maize to neighboring countries.”
He added that the current success of the agricultural sector in Ghana has attracted interest from some governments in the West Africa sub-region such as Togo, Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Trinidad and Tobago. He revealed that these countries had visited Ghana a couple of times to learn about the programme and to initiate it in their countries as well.
He, however, disclosed that although Ghana is producing more crops, such as maize, rice, and soya bean, the country is still producing below capacity hence the need for more investors to venture into the sector to generate more yields.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto emphasized the need for investors, both domestic and foreign. He urged them to explore the potentials and opportunities in the sector to contribute to the growth and development of the country.
“Ghana’s agricultural sector now provides new areas of opportunities along the value chain for both foreign and domestic investors,” he said.
He noted that under his leadership, the agricultural ministry has witnessed a smooth and effective collaboration with the Tony Blair Institute. He commended the former UK Prime Minister for providing the platform to engage potential investors across the country to help prosper the agricultural sector and make more gains and returns.
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