Ghana Agriculture Sector Policy Note : Transforming Agriculture for Economic Growth, Job Creation, and Food Security
The objective of this note is to help the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) identify strategic policy directions and reform areas that are fundamental to accelerate and sustain agriculture sector growth. Sustained agricultural growth will con...
| Language: | English en_US |
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| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/336541505459269020/Ghana-Agriculture-sector-policy-note-transforming-agriculture-for-economic-growth-job-creation-and-food-security http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28394 |
| Summary: | The objective of this note is to help
the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) identify
strategic policy directions and reform areas that are
fundamental to accelerate and sustain agriculture sector
growth. Sustained agricultural growth will contribute to
overall resiliency ofthe economy as it undergoes structural
transformation as it moves beyond lower middle-income
status.The Agriculture Sector Policy Note is based on a
number of sector studies and reports prepared by the Bank to
support the existing investment projects. The objective of
the Agricultural Sector Policy Note is to help Ghana achieve
transformation and modernization of its agriculture sector.
There are both challenges and opportunities towards
achieving transformation and modernization of the
agriculture sector in Ghana. The agricultural sector
accounts for one fifth of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), employs nearly half of the workforce and is the main
source of livelihood for the majority of the country’s
poorest households.Ghana’s agricultural sector is
characterized by low yields for both staple and cash
crops.Ghana is a net importer of basic foods (raw and
processed) including rice, poultry, sugar, and vegetable
oils.Ghana has significant agricultural potential,
particularly in the semi-arid NorthernSavannah
(agro-)Ecological Zone (NSEZ), including the Afram
Plains.The first priority is to improve public expenditure
allocation and management as well as budget coordination in
agriculture.The second priority is for MoFA to improve the
collection and analysis of agriculturalstatistics to produce
high quality and credible data for sector planning on a
regular basis.Third, MoFA should improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of input subsidy programs and fix gaps in
input supply legislation.Fourth, prioritization of public
investments in infrastructure, particularly in high
agricultural potential areas, such as the NSEZ (including
the Afram Plains) is critical to sustain Ghana’s
agricultural growth. The government should promote
coordination in the the implementation of its National
Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Security Action Plan,
following the principles laid down in the National Climate
Change Policy as well as the Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions (INDC). The Government should also strengthen
research on climate-smart agricultural technologies,
strengthen the research-extension linkages to promote
farmers’ technology adoption especially in fragile but high
potential environments such as the NSEZ. |
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