New Agriculture Deals Could Unlock Ghana’s Agro-Industrial Revolution, Only If Done Right – IMANI

Public policy think tank, IMANI Center for Policy and Education, has hailed Ghana’s two newly announced agriculture investment deals as possessing the key to unlocking the country’s potential in the competitive agro-industry.

The two investment deals, as announced by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, are Qatar’s $1.5 billion irrigated farming deal and Aljadad Group’s $5 billion fertilizer plant at Atuabo.

The think tank, in its analysis, is convinced that these deals could be the spark that transforms the country’s agriculture from subsistence to a competitive, industrial powerhouse. However, the condition, it warns, is in how the deals are implemented.

IMANI says, for instance. the fertilizer plant is more than just a factory; it represents a lifeline for Ghana’s farmers. With local urea and ammonia production, farmers could finally escape the unpredictability of global supply chains and price shocks that saw the country spend over $250 million on fertilizer imports in 2023 alone.

On the other side, Qatar’s investment in large-scale irrigated farming offers structure and scale, moving Ghana’s agriculture from rain-fed farms into a modernized, market-driven system.

IMANI says. if these deals are harnessed well, they could deliver higher yields, reliable markets for farmers, valuable foreign exchange earnings, and, more importantly, jobs.  

However, the real test lies in how the government can use the opportunity to enhance industrial linkages. Harvests from Qatar-backed farms should not simply head straight to foreign markets. Instead, they should supply Ghana’s rice mills, canning factories, and food processors, creating jobs and value addition at home.

“The combined impact of these two investments could be catalytic if well managed. Fertilizer production ensures that farmers have the inputs they need at predictable prices. Large-scale irrigated farming provides the scale and structure to move agriculture from subsistence into agribusiness. And exports can generate foreign exchange, reducing pressure on the cedi. But the real opportunity lies in industrial linkages,” the think tank indicated.

It added that, “Done right, these deals can help Ghana build a competitive agro-industrial ecosystem where jobs, technology transfer, and value addition remain in-country.”

If the projects are poorly structured, Ghana risks repeating the old cycle of exporting raw commodities while importing finished goods.

However, if linked deliberately to local industries, the combined impact of these deals could ease pressure on the cedi, generate sustainable jobs, and position Ghana as a food and input hub for West Africa.

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