The Minister for Food and Agriculture has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector by leveraging the expertise of highly skilled young professionals, while strengthening partnerships with the private sector to boost food production and create sustainable employment.
Speaking at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Accra , Hon Eric Opoku,the Minister, welcomed a group of young Ghanaian graduates who recently returned home after completing advanced agricultural studies abroad through sponsorship from the African Agribusiness Consortium in collaboration with the Jospong Group of Companies.
The Minister described the graduates as valuable national assets whose knowledge and technical expertise would play a critical role in supporting the government’s agricultural transformation agenda.
According to him , Ghana’s agricultural sector requires innovative ideas, modern technology and highly skilled human resources to increase productivity, improve value addition and ensure food security.
He noted that the government’s flagship Feed Ghana Agenda remains one of the key strategies for achieving sustainable agricultural development by increasing local food production, reducing the country’s dependence on food imports and creating employment opportunities for thousands of young people.
The Minister explained that the success of the initiative would largely depend on strong collaboration between government and the private sector, stressing that strategic partnerships remain essential for unlocking the full potential of Ghana’s agricultural value chain.
As part of this collaborative effort, the Ministry has entered into a partnership with the African Agribusiness Consortium to establish a modern vegetable production hub on 750 acres of irrigated land at Konadu.
The project is expected to significantly increase vegetable production, promote commercial farming, strengthen agro-processing activities and create jobs for young people while improving the country’s food security.
The Minister said the initiative demonstrates government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private investment in agriculture and ensuring sustainable growth across the sector.
He urged the returning graduates to apply the knowledge and practical skills they acquired abroad to solve real-life agricultural challenges facing the country.
The Minister encouraged them to become agents of transformation by introducing innovative farming practices, promoting research and technology-driven agriculture, and mentoring the next generation of agricultural professionals.
He assured the graduates of the Ministry’s continued support and collaboration, emphasizing that government remains committed to providing opportunities that will enable young professionals to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Minister expressed confidence that the graduates’ expertise, combined with ongoing public-private partnerships, would accelerate the implementation of the Feed Ghana Agenda and position agriculture as a major driver of economic transformation, job creation and national prosperity.
