Accra, Ghana//-The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) today released a comprehensive report calling for Ghana to urgently develop and implement a 20-year National Agricultural Transformation Strategy, fundamentally shifting from the short-term, politically driven agricultural programs that have characterised the sector since independence.
The landmark report, titled ‘The Case for a Long-Term Agricultural Sector Policy and Strategy for Ghana,’ provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of Ghana’s agricultural policy landscape, documenting over 35 major policies and programmes developed since 1957.
The analysis reveals a troubling pattern: despite decades of policy activity, Ghana has never developed a sustained 20–25-year strategic framework necessary for genuine agricultural transformation.
Short-Term Thinking Has Failed Ghana’s Agriculture “For too long, Ghana’s agricultural sector has been governed by 3–5-year programmes that align with political cycles rather than agricultural development timelines,” said Anthony Morrison, President of the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana.
“While some programmes have achieved short-term production increases, they have failed to deliver the fundamental transformation our sector desperately needs.
We spend over $2.5 billion annually importing food we could produce, our farmers remain poor, youth flee agriculture, and we lag behind countries that made long-term strategic commitments decades ago.”
Key Findings from the Report the CAG report presents compelling evidence from successful agricultural economies worldwide:
- Brazil’s 50-year commitment to agricultural research (EMBRAPA) transformed it from food importer to global agricultural superpower with $100+ billion in annual agricultural GDP;
- Vietnam’s 35-year agricultural strategy increased exports from $1 billion to $48 billion while reducing rural poverty from 75% to below 5%;
- China’s successive Five-Year Plans enabled $1 trillion in agricultural investment, achieving food security for 1.4 billion people;
- Thailand’s 30-year focus on quality and exports positioned it as the ‘Kitchen of the World’ with $40+ billion in annual agricultural exports; • Rwanda’s 20-year Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA) achieved 5.4% annual agricultural growth and dramatic poverty reduction.
“The common factor across all these success stories is sustained commitment to long-term strategic frameworks maintained across political cycles for 15-30 years,” the report noted.
“No country has achieved genuine agricultural transformation through short-term programmes.”
$30 Billion Investment Potential
The report demonstrated that a credible 20-year strategy could enable Ghana to mobilize $28-36 billion in agricultural investment from diverse sources including private sector investment ($10-12 billion), development partner support ($5-6 billion), innovative financing mechanisms ($2-3 billion), and increased government allocation ($8-10 billion).
This represents 3-4 times the current annual investment levels.
Transformative Benefits for Ghana
- According to the CAG analysis, a comprehensive long-term strategy could deliver: • Agricultural GDP growth from $14 billion to $40+ billion by 2045.
- Agricultural exports increasing from $2 billion to $10+ billion annually; • Creation of 2+ million quality jobs across agricultural value chains; • Reduction of food import bill by 70%, saving $1.75 billion annually; • Rural poverty is declining from 40% to below 10%; • Farmer income increases by 300%+; • Ghana positioned as West Africa’s agricultural transformation leader.
Integrated Framework Proposed
The CAG report proposes an integrated framework combining three elements: (1) Ghana National Agricultural Transformation Strategy (GNATS) 2026-2045 providing long-term policy direction, (2) National Agricultural Investment Plan detailing priority investments and resource requirements totalling $30 billion, and (3) Comprehensive Financing Strategy mobilizing resources from government, private sector, development partners, and innovative mechanisms.
“What makes this different from previous efforts is the integration of long-term policy vision with concrete investment plans and credible financing strategies,” explained Dr Kwame Boateng, CAG’s Director of Policy and Research.
“We’re not just calling for another policy document. We’re proposing a comprehensive framework with clear investment priorities, realistic financing mechanisms, and strong governance structures to ensure implementation and continuity across political administrations.”
Urgent Action Required
CAG is calling on the Government, Parliament, the private sector, development partners, farmer organisations, and civil society to collaborate urgently on developing the Ghana National Agricultural Transformation Strategy.
The Chamber specifically recommends: • Immediate initiation of GNATS 2026-2045 development through inclusive consultative process; • Enactment of Agricultural Transformation Act to enshrine the strategy in law and ensure continuity; • Establishment of National Agricultural Transformation Council chaired by the President; • Creation of Agricultural Transformation Fund with ring-fenced resources; • Progressive increase in agricultural budget allocation to 10% (Maputo Declaration target).
“Every year we delay adopting a long-term agricultural strategy represents lost opportunities for transformation, continued poverty, and foregone prosperity,” Morrison emphasised.
“The question is not whether Ghana can afford to develop a long-term agricultural strategy, it’s whether we can afford NOT to. The time for action is now.”
Report Availability
The full report titled, ‘The Case for a Long-Term Agricultural Sector Policy and Strategy for Ghana,’ is available for download at www.cagghana.org.
The Chamber welcomes engagement from all stakeholders committed to transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector.
