Citing proactive steps already taken by the government, Ghana’s Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta expresses confidence that the country will achieve food self-sufficiency by the end of the following year.

After seeing the five-day Agrifest exhibition, which highlights agricultural and culinary innovations, Ofori-Atta praises Ghanaians for their dedication to advancing the government’s goal of achieving food sufficiency.

He emphasized the government’s priorities, saying that in order to stop imports and save about “US$2 billion worth of food in poultry, rice, etc.,” the government wants to increase the agricultural sector’s growth from 6.3% last year.

The Development Bank of Ghana is expected to provide an extra GH¢2 billion to support the agriculture sector, following the Ministry of Finance’s audacious allocation of GH¢1 billion in the 2024 budget.

To guarantee strong financial support for agriculture, the government injects GH¢10 billion into commercial banks through the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP).

Mr. Ofori Atta, praising the Asian African Consortium (AAC) at Agrifest, notes the organization’s initiatives in revolutionizing Ghana’s rice subsector. In order to alleviate financial constraints, AAC offers smallholder farmers vital technical and equipment support.

The CEO of AAC, Adelaide Siaw Agyepong, emphasized the importance of their equipment in pre-farming operations, stressing its use in irrigation, crop enhancement, and land development.

The equipment is a product of a partnership with the Yama group of companies and is intended to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of Ghana’s agricultural industry.