Ghana has began plans to stabilise food prices, reduce imports and improve food security.

Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament, the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, said the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda was central to achieving food security, improving productivity and supporting value addition across the food chain.

He explained that the agenda aligns with the 24-Hour Economy vision, under which the government launched the Feed Ghana Programme in April 2025 to scale up crop, tree crop, livestock and poultry production as well as agricultural infrastructure.

“So far, 2,000 metric tonnes of hybrid maize seed, 1,000 metric tonnes of rice seed, and 50,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser have been distributed nationwide,” Dr Forson said.

He added that planned input distribution for 2026 will significantly expand support to farmers, including 4,388 metric tonnes of maize seed, 31,000 metric tonnes of rice seed, 240 metric tonnes of sorghum seed, 2,791 metric tonnes of soybean seed and 272,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser.

Dr Forson highlighted ongoing gains under the YƐREDUA Vegetable Development Project, implemented with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and the Government of Korea. 

The US$9.5 million value-chain initiative in Winneba and Adaklu is boosting domestic tomato, onion and pepper production.

“With over 133 metric tonnes of tomato seed already distributed, and further SADEP seed support, domestic supply has improved, easing seasonal price spikes that previously drove food inflation,” he said.

In 2026, the government intends to scale vegetable input support further, including 58,500 sachets of tomato seed, 35,100 sachets of pepper seed, 351,000 sachets of onion seed, 164,932.56 metric tonnes of fertiliser and 39,384 litres of agrochemicals. 

These include potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, compost, Aminomix/Tecamin Max and neem oil.

To advance all-year vegetable production, Dr Forson said government will install 200 solar-powered boreholes across the Ahafo, Eastern, Upper West and Bono East regions, including 44 Senior High Schools. 

The initiative is expected to enable irrigation, strengthen yields and stabilise market supply throughout the year.

He noted that the medium-term outcomes of these interventions include lower food imports, strengthened external balances and reduced exchange-rate pressures caused by food-related purchases.

The finance minister also reported progress under the Tree Crops Programme, which has supported 175,000 farmers with 800,000 mango seedlings, 1 million oil palm seedlings and 750,000 grafted shea seedlings.

 The government is additionally establishing 10 cashew scion gardens in the Upper West, Savannah and North East regions to broaden non-traditional export earnings.

Source: Access Agric