Ghana has called on Chinese investors to support its ambitious agricultural transformation programme as part of a broader economic reset.
Speaking at the 2026 Chinese Lunar New Year Gala in Accra, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said agriculture now sits at the heart of the government’s strategy under President John Dramani Mahama.
He noted that the 2026 Budget identifies agriculture as a key pillar for industrialisation, export expansion, job creation, and foreign exchange stability.
To boost productivity this year, government is rolling out major input support, including 31,000 metric tonnes of rice seed, 4,388 metric tonnes of maize seed, 2,791 metric tonnes of soybean seed, and 272,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to farmers nationwide.
Beyond input distribution, Ghana is scaling up irrigation infrastructure by opening up thousands of hectares of irrigated land and constructing dams across northern Ghana to reduce reliance on rain-fed farming.
The Minister outlined investment opportunities for Chinese firms in irrigation technology, farm mechanisation, agro-processing, machinery assembly, and the development of agro-industrial parks.
A flagship initiative under the agenda is the Integrated Oil Palm Development Programme (2026–2032), which targets 100,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, the creation of 250,000 jobs, and an annual reduction of palm oil imports valued at $200 million.
Government is also providing structured land banks and encouraging partnerships in plantation development, processing, refining, and export-oriented agribusiness.
“We are not seeking aid. We are building joint ventures,” the Minister stressed, urging investors to shift focus “from trade to production.”
With access to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) market of more than 400 million people, Ghana is positioning itself as a strategic agricultural and industrial gateway to West Afric
