Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has declared that the country’s current reliance on peasant agriculture is unsustainable and must be replaced by modern commercial farming practices. Speaking in an interview with MyJoyOnline on Thursday, following the presentation of the 2027 Budget to Parliament, Forson emphasized that Ghana possesses the necessary land, water resources, and youthful population to significantly increase domestic food production. He stated that the existing agricultural model cannot meet the nation's growing needs, arguing that a structural shift is required to address the economic drain caused by food imports.
According to MyJoyOnline, the minister highlighted that Ghana spends approximately US$3.5 billion annually importing foodstuffs, a figure he described as unacceptable. He questioned the logic of importing products that could be produced locally, specifically citing chicken imports valued at around US$200 million per year. Forson suggested that Ghana could utilize its land to grow soybean and maize to feed the poultry industry, thereby reducing dependence on imported feed and finished poultry products. He also expressed concern over the country's reliance on fish imports and its dependence on neighboring Burkina Faso for vegetables, identifying Pwalugu as a potential solution for local vegetable supply.
Beyond staple foods, Forson outlined a strategy to retain more value from Ghana’s cocoa sector by processing beans domestically rather than exporting them raw. He noted that the longstanding financing model has encouraged the shipping of beans for processing elsewhere. The minister clarified that the new Cocoa Board Act already mandates that 50% of cocoa be processed locally by 2028. A legislative instrument will establish the timeline for achieving full local processing by 2030. Forson emphasized that foreign companies are welcome to buy Ghanaian cocoa but are encouraged to add value within the country.
In a move to expand processing capacity, Forson disclosed that the Dangote Group has expressed interest in using Ghana as a hub for cocoa processing. Discussions are underway regarding a proposed contract that would involve 500,000 metric tonnes of cocoa for local value addition. The minister noted that the terms of this potential partnership are still being examined. He stated that Dangote has reached out to utilize Ghana as a processing center, signaling a potential shift in how the country manages its most valuable agricultural export. The government aims to leverage such investments to transform the agricultural landscape and reduce the financial burden of imports.