Trade Ministry Unveils 2026-2029 Development Plan as Ghana Targets $10B Export Revenue and Poultry Self-Sufficiency

In a bold move to reshape Ghana's economic landscape, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has unveiled a comprehensive development plan for the 2026–2029 period. Speaking at a sector-wide planning workshop in Accra, the Minister outlined a strategic roadmap designed to trigger an industrial revival and significantly boost the nation’s export revenue. At the heart of this vision is the Accelerated Export Development Programme, which targets a monumental US$10 billion in non-traditional export revenue by 2030. This initiative is complemented by the Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Programme, specifically aimed at revitalizing state-owned enterprises and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the country.

The Ministry’s strategy emphasizes local production through the Feed Industry Programme and the Made-in-Ghana Programme, both of which seek to reduce reliance on imports by strengthening local manufacturing and raw material supply chains. A critical component of this plan is the introduction of a Sector Accountability Platform, intended to ensure transparent monitoring and results-based reporting across all participating agencies. Furthermore, the Minister highlighted a dedicated focus on gender inclusion through the Women in Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry Programme, ensuring that the economic gains from these industrial programs are equitably distributed and inclusive of women-led enterprises.

Complementing these industrial goals is a significant surge in the poultry sector under the ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti Project,’ a key pillar of the broader ‘Feed Ghana’ program. The project recently reached a major milestone with the processing of its first 50,000 birds at Aglow Farms, marking a shift toward the national goal of producing 80 million birds by the end of 2026. National Coordinator Kelvin Ocran indicated that the initiative is set to scale further with the establishment of high-tech ‘Poultry Estates’ in October 2026. This push for poultry self-sufficiency aligns with ongoing agricultural support measures, such as COCOBOD’s distribution of free fertilizers to over 11,000 cocoa farmers in the Nkawie district to enhance national output.

Collectively, these initiatives represent a multi-faceted approach to achieving economic resilience and food security. By integrating industrialization with aggressive agribusiness expansion, the government aims to transform Ghana into a regional powerhouse of production and trade. The success of the 2026–2029 plan will depend heavily on the sustained collaboration between state agencies and private sector partners like Aglow Farms. As the Ministry moves into the implementation phase, the focus remains on building a robust local economy that can withstand global market fluctuations while providing a high standard of living for all Ghanaians through job creation and enhanced export capacity.