25/10/2025
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang attended the closing sessions of the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. Delivering the keynote address, She mentioned that Dr. Norman Borlaug, who was convinced that no child should go to bed hungry, must remain a moral compass for us.
She highlighted the centrality of agriculture to Ghana’s development agenda. Nearly two out of every five Ghanaians work in agriculture, but the sector faces persistent challenges. Ghana spends more than USD 2 billion annually importing food we have the climate and capacity to produce. This must change.
His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama’s bold vision for agricultural transformation is centered on the Feed Ghana Programme, which is a coordinated, market-driven initiative spanning 22 commodity value chains, including: grains & legumes, vegetables, starchy staples, tree crops and livestock. It is designed to tackle systemic weaknesses in irrigation, storage and processing, digital integration, cooperative development and market access.
Another initiative is the Grow24 Programme. As part of the 24 Hour Economy, Grow24 seeks to modernize agriculture and value chains, support agro-manufacturing, and drive export-ready agribusiness. Ghana is also implementing a five-year Agricultural Risk Management Strategy focusing on poultry, tomato and maize in selected regions.
She also acknowledged that women constitute more than half of Ghana’s agricultural workforce but face barriers to land, credit, technology and training. Our Women’s Development Bank will help correct these inequities. We are also investing heavily in youth-led agritech, mechanization services and digital market platforms.
Ghana is steadily shifting from exporting raw materials to producing finished goods that capture real value. With AfCFTA headquartered in Accra, we are positioned to build regional value chains, scale agro-exports and empower youth and women across borders. She invited investors, gover