GH¢100m fund to drive agricultural transformation launched

Ghana's Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Eric Opoku, has launched a GH¢100 million agricultural fund aimed at driving the government's agricultural transformation agenda. Named the Ghana Agriculture Fund for Education and Transformation (GAFET), the initiative seeks to establish a sustainable national endowment to bolster skills development, foster innovation, promote mechanization, and support agricultural enterprises.

GAFET will also channel investments into institutions responsible for training the nation's agricultural engineers, researchers, agribusiness leaders, and entrepreneurs. Speaking at the launch in Accra, Minister Opoku emphasized the critical need for enhanced collaboration between the public and private sectors. He stressed that transforming agriculture requires not only investment in machinery, irrigation, and financing but also a focus on the quality of human capital needed to design, operate, and improve these systems.

"Before we can sustainably feed Ghana, we must equip Ghana. Before we transform our farms, we must strengthen the institutions that prepare the people who transform those farms," Opoku stated. He highlighted that GAFET is a key component of the government's 'Feed Ghana Programme,' which aims to increase food production, modernize farming practices, expand irrigation and mechanization, boost agro-processing, reduce food import dependency, increase exports, and create sustainable jobs, particularly for youth and women.

The minister noted that while agricultural colleges and research centers have historically produced skilled professionals, many institutions require updated investments in laboratories, workshops, modern machinery, digital learning tools, and relevant curricula. GAFET is designed to provide a national platform for various stakeholders, including the private sector, development partners, financial institutions, and philanthropic organizations, to contribute to agricultural education and capacity building. An initial GH¢3.5 million has already been mobilized from five agribusinesses, with a target to reach GH¢10 million by December 2026 and the full GH¢100 million by December 2028.

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Before we can sustainably feed Ghana, we must equip Ghana. Before we transform our farms, we must strengthen the institutions that prepare the people who transform those farms.