Ghana Strengthens Agribusiness with New Gulf Cocoa Deals and 'Feed Ghana' Technical Support

The Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) Ghana Limited has successfully secured significant offtake agreements with major confectionery and beverage firms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. Led by Managing Director Dr. Wisdom Kofi Dogbey, these multi-year commitments focus on semi-finished products—including cocoa liquor, butter, cake, and powder—marking a strategic pivot toward local value addition. This initiative aligns with a national objective to process 50% of Ghana’s cocoa beans domestically, effectively reducing the country's historical over-reliance on European markets. In Dubai, discussions with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) aimed to integrate Ghanaian cocoa into regional value chains, while in Riyadh, the agreements were aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 food sustainability goals to ensure long-term market stability.

Parallel to these export gains, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is intensifying domestic production through the "Feed Ghana" program. Minister Eric Opoku recently announced that the country is projected to experience a significant tomato glut within the next three to four months. This anticipated surplus is the result of government-led interventions, including the distribution of high-yield seeds, the expansion of solar-powered irrigation boreholes, and an off-take system designed to guarantee market access for farmers. To further boost the agricultural value chain, the Ministry is overseeing the construction of a poultry processing center in Bechem, scheduled for completion by December, alongside plans for soy and sorghum processing plants to stabilize farmer incomes and enhance national food security.

The sector is also seeing a surge in demand for technical expertise and improved infrastructure. Minister Opoku reported that private agribusinesses are already competing to hire newly trained "Feed Ghana Brigadiers" even before their official deployment. During a recent ceremony for 506 graduates, several firms requested the services of these skilled professionals to provide advisory and technical support for commercial farming operations. This emphasis on human capital is complemented by innovative post-harvest solutions, such as the recently inaugurated community warehouse in Shebo, Northern Region. A collaboration between the German Development Cooperation and Saving Grains 301 GmbH, the facility has already helped over 16,000 farmers reduce post-harvest losses by an estimated 80% through better storage and marketing access.

While agriculture remains a primary focus, experts are calling for similar structural reforms in other industrial sectors to ensure long-term economic resilience. Professor Ebenezer Kofi Howard of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) highlighted the urgent need for a sustainable raw material base for Ghana's textile industry, where over 70% of products are currently imported. He proposed restructuring the National Cotton Development Authority and establishing an Industrial Dyes Park to revitalize local production. Collectively, these developments—from secured cocoa markets in the Gulf to the professionalization of agricultural labor—reflect a comprehensive drive to transform Ghana into a value-adding, commercially viable economy that prioritizes domestic processing and skilled employment.