Find Agriculture expertise in Ghana
- Nature of agriculture
- Development of industry
The agriculture sector in Ghana has experienced impressive development, with agricultural growth averaging more than 5% a year over the 25 years up to 2008. Agriculture, along with forestry and fisheries contributes 30% of Ghana’s GDP (2010), with about half of the population engaged in farming. Having raised food production per capita by more than 80% since the early 1980s, the country has become largely self-sufficient in staples, partly thanks to large increases in cassava and yam production. Crops such as cocoa and cocoa products, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas and timber products form the base of Ghana’s economy.
Cocoa has experienced a revival of fortunes in recent years, with the Cocoa Board accounting the rise in production to improved farming techniques and a major disease control campaign. The country has also seen the growth in farmer-led marketing organisations, notably Kuapa Kokoo, which has over 35,000 farmer members. Through the organisation some farmers have been able to earn premium, Fairtrade prices for their cocoa, and it has become an important partner in a Fairtrade chocolate manufacturing company. Cocoa is by far the most profitable export, with cocoa beans exports generating US$847,395,000 and cocoa butter generating US$86,459,000 in 2010.
The country has also seen a growth in higher value vegetables and fruit for domestic and export markets. A great proportion of total land area is accounted for by agriculture, 68.1% in 2009. Farming is more difficult in the dry savannahs of the north, where fertile land is scarce. The majority of people there are small-scale farmers who face numerous problems with production. However, cotton production is a growing sector in the area. The country’s main export markets are the Netherlands, Burkina Faso, the United Kingdom and South Africa. The Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture is responsible for formulating and monitoring agricultural policies aimed at economic development throughout the country.
In the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report (2012-13) Ghana placed 49th in the world in terms of its balanced agricultural policy costs, with a value of 4.2 out of 7, above the world mean of 3.9. This found it two places below South Africa, also with a value of 4.2.
The mission of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is to promote sustainable agriculture and the development of agribusiness through research and technology development, effective extension and other support services to farmers, processors and traders. It recognises the importance of the agriculture sector for rural development and poverty reduction. Their programmes include a focus on the development of agriculture in northern rural areas and encouraging young people to go into agriculture to counter the ageing nature of the industry. Numerous projects also deal with the expansion and modernisation of rice production in the country.