Ghana Unveils US$3.5bn Agriculture Compact to Create 2.6 Million Jobs, Cut Food Imports

 

Ghana has launched an ambitious agriculture transformation programme aimed at mobilising US$3.5 billion in investments, creating more than 2.6 million jobs and reducing the country’s dependence on food imports, as government positions agriculture at the centre of its economic growth strategy.

The AgriConnect Compact, launched by the Government of Ghana with support from the World Bank Group and development partners, provides a national framework for coordinating investments, policy reforms and private sector participation across key agricultural value chains.

The initiative seeks to strengthen food security, expand domestic production, improve value addition and create a more resilient agri-food system capable of supporting long-term industrialisation and inclusive growth.

Under the first phase of implementation between 2026 and 2030, the Compact is expected to improve food and nutrition security for nearly three million people while laying the foundation for the creation of more than 2.6 million jobs by 2035.

The programme will focus on priority value chains including cocoa, oil palm, rice, maize and poultry, while also supporting strategic sectors such as cashew, coconut, rubber, fisheries and the forest economy.

Government estimates indicate that achieving the Compact’s objectives will require approximately US$3.5 billion in financing, expected to come from a combination of public resources, development partner support and private sector investment.

World Bank Group Vice President for Planet, Guangzhe Chen, described the initiative as a significant step towards building a stronger agricultural economy.

“Ghana’s AgriConnect Compact is a bold step toward building a more productive, resilient and jobs-rich food system. By linking policy reform with investment and delivery, Ghana is creating the conditions to strengthen food security, support farmers and agribusinesses, and unlock private capital at scale,” he said.

The launch comes at a time when Ghana is seeking new sources of growth amid efforts to strengthen economic resilience, reduce import dependence and create employment opportunities for its growing youth population.

Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the Compact provides a practical roadmap for transforming the country’s agricultural potential into measurable economic outcomes.

“AgriConnect is about turning Ghana’s agricultural potential into tangible results: more food on the table, more jobs for young people, and more value created here at home,” he said.

According to him, the initiative will support the modernisation of agriculture, strengthen value chains and improve opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses across the country.

Unlike traditional agricultural programmes focused primarily on production, the Compact adopts a value-chain approach that targets critical bottlenecks across the agricultural ecosystem.

Investments will focus on irrigation infrastructure, improved seed systems, mechanisation, farmer support services, agro-processing facilities and logistics networks to ensure that more food is produced, processed and marketed within Ghana.

Officials say this approach is expected to create employment opportunities not only on farms but also in transportation, warehousing, processing, packaging, equipment services and agricultural technology.

Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, said the initiative represents an opportunity to use agriculture as a platform for job creation, industrial development and wealth generation.

“The Government of Ghana remains fully committed to working with all stakeholders to translate the aspirations of this AgriConnect Compact into tangible results for our people. This is Ghana’s moment to feed itself, employ its youth, build competitive industries and create wealth from its own soil,” he said.

The Compact forms part of broader efforts by government and development partners to accelerate agricultural transformation while attracting greater private sector participation into the sector.

By bringing together policy reforms, targeted investments and implementation mechanisms under a single framework, the programme seeks to improve coordination among government agencies, development institutions, agribusinesses and farmer organisations.

The success of the initiative will depend largely on government’s ability to mobilise the required investment, sustain reforms and create an enabling environment that encourages private capital to participate across agricultural value chains.

If successfully implemented, AgriConnect could help reposition agriculture from a subsistence activity into a major driver of employment, industrialisation, food security and economic growth, while reducing Ghana’s exposure to food import shocks and strengthening rural economies.