President John Dramani Mahama has urged development agencies operating in Ghana to shift from a donor mindset to that of true investment partners, especially in the area of agribusiness.
Speaking at the opening of the Ghana Horticulture Expo in Accra, he emphasized the need for collaborative efforts that drive long-term, sustainable development.
“Today, I am issuing a clear call. To our development partners, invest with us in infrastructure, agri-tech, and skills, not as donors, but as partners,” he declared.
The three-day expo, themed “Innovate, Transform, Sustain: Driving Growth in Ghana’s Horticultural Sector,” is spearheaded by the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), and brings together key stakeholders to discuss ways to transform Ghana’s horticultural landscape.
Mahama highlighted that agriculture should be embraced not as a fallback option but as a viable, dignified career path, particularly for the youth and women.
“To our youth and women, agriculture is not a fallback occupation, but it is an occupation of choice. Own it, live it, and thrive in it,” he said.
Turning to the private sector, he called for bold and strategic investment aligned with the government’s objectives of scaling up processing capacity, achieving certification, and expanding exports.
“So let us move from conferences to cold chains. Let us move from weds to warehouses. And let us move from policies to productivity. The time is now. We are not starting from zero,” he intimated.
President Mahama argued that improving the strength of Ghana’s cedi will require increasing foreign exchange earnings, and identified high-value agricultural exports as a reliable avenue to achieve this goal.
“We are on that path boldly and deliberately. And we shall work together with our exporters to be able to achieve this,” he stated.
He disclosed that Ghana currently exports horticultural produce to destinations including Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and that the nation’s non-traditional exports had crossed $3.5 billion in 2024. With renewed focus, the target is to more than double this figure by 2030.
He underscored the need to transition away from aid dependency and toward trade-driven growth. “To do this, we must shift from aid to trade and from dependence to dominance in the export value chain,” the President noted.
Mahama positioned Ghana as a leader in Africa’s growing intra-continental trade, calling for greater production across borders under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which covers a single market of 1.4 billion people.
“Imagine if Liberia grew fresh gingers. Ghana processed these gingers. And Kenya packaged them. And we exported it as one brand to Dubai,” he envisioned. “This is the African economic ecosystem we must build. Integrated, efficient, and product self-reliant. We are building on the dreams of generations.”
Referencing Ghana’s independence struggle, he drew a parallel between the past and the current economic agenda.
“In 1957, Ghana’s Founding President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah reminded them,” he said, “‘Seek ye first the political kingdom.’”
He added, “And today, I say to our exporters and to our nation, seek ye first the productive economy. Let us grow Ghana one fruit, one field, and future at a time.”
In closing, he praised the nation’s farmers and youth, placing them at the heart of Ghana’s growth vision.
“To the nation’s farmers, President Mahama said they were the backbone of this renewal. To our youth, you are the heartbeat of our ambition. And to the world, Ghana is open for business, green, export-ready, and growing with purpose,” he stressed.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Prince Kofi Kludjeson, Executive Chairman of Celltel Networks, called for the integration of smart farming technologies to enhance agricultural productivity. Mr. Davis Narh Korboe, President of FAGE, expressed gratitude to Mahama for his continued commitment to Ghana’s export sector and his support of FAGE’s vision.
