Government Courts Chinese Investment for Agricultural Transformation Drive
The Government has called on Chinese investors to collaborate in its expansive agricultural modernisation programme, as part of broader measures aimed at restructuring and revitalising the national economy.
Addressing guests at the Chinese Lunar New Year Gala 2026 in Accra, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, indicated that agriculture has become a cornerstone of Ghana’s economic recovery plan under President John Dramani Mahama.
He noted that the 2026 Budget underscores agriculture as a principal catalyst for industrial expansion, export diversification, employment generation and foreign exchange accumulation.
For the 2026 farming season, government is distributing 31,000 metric tonnes of rice seed, 4,388 metric tonnes of maize seed and 2,791 metric tonnes of soybean seed, alongside 272,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to enhance crop productivity.
In addition, authorities are intensifying irrigation development by opening up thousands of hectares for irrigated cultivation and constructing dams in northern Ghana to minimise reliance on rainfall.
The Minister highlighted a range of investment prospects for Chinese enterprises, spanning irrigation infrastructure, mechanised farming services, agro-processing facilities, machinery assembly plants and agro-industrial enclaves.
Central to the strategy is the Integrated Oil Palm Development Programme (2026–2032), which aims to establish 100,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, generate an estimated 250,000 jobs and cut palm oil import expenditure by about US$200 million each year.
Ghana is also providing organised land banks and encouraging partnerships in plantation establishment, value-added processing, refining and export-oriented agribusiness.
“We are not seeking aid. We are building joint ventures,” Mr Opoku emphasised, encouraging investors to shift their focus “from trade to production.”
With access to a market of more than 400 million consumers within the Economic Community of West African States bloc, Ghana is positioning itself as a gateway for agricultural production and agro-industrial development across West Africa.
