Agriculture is a major driving force behind growth of Ghana’s economy – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday, 26th October 2023, held a meeting with International Partners to discuss the food and agriculture sector of Ghana’s economy

He applauded the longstanding commitment of the respective governments of the partners to Ghana’s economic progress.

This commitment, he said “has contributed significantly to making agriculture a major driving force behind the growth of the Ghanaian economy, with the sector maintaining an average growth rate of 5.9% over the past six (6) years, up from 2.9% we inherited in 2017.”

The president indicated at the meeting that the second phase of the Programme for Planting for Food and Jobs is poised to continue the transformation of Ghana’s agricultural landscape.

“We have shifted our approach from a subsidy policy to an input credit system that accommodates all participants in the agricultural value chain. This programme’s design places strong emphasis on commercial agriculture, with a cascading effect on all stakeholders, from production to processing, distribution, and marketing,” he said.

This comprehensive approach will stimulate economic activities within the sector, generate employment, support industrialisation, boost exports, increase incomes, foster rural development, and propel overall economic growth, he added.

“We anticipate that, by the end of the five-year implementation period, Ghana will have achieved enhanced food security, and established a strong comparative advantage in the production of diverse cash and food crops and poultry products. Additionally, we aim to leverage competitively the opportunities presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA),” the president stressed.