The Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme (GPSCP II) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana’s tree crops sector through targeted funding support.

Speaking at a matching grant award signing ceremony, Team Lead for GPSCP II, Juliana Ofori-Karikari, pledged continued assistance to promising SMEs, noting that the initiative is aimed at helping businesses scale up, improve operational efficiency, and enhance competitiveness within the sub-region.

She explained that the matching grant facility is designed to support SMEs with high growth potential, particularly those capable of sustainably strengthening agricultural value chains while meeting global standards.

The ceremony recognised 10 SMEs that successfully navigated a rigorous and competitive selection process. The beneficiaries were selected based on their capacity to drive innovation, improve productivity, and contribute meaningfully to the development of Ghana’s tree crops industry.

The grant scheme forms part of one of the programme’s three implementation modalities, known as the Implemented by Development Partnership with the Private Sector modality.

According to Ms. Ofori-Karikari, this phase of GPSCP II underscores the programme’s focus on enabling SMEs within the value chain to grow, remain profitable, and build resilience in a challenging business environment.

“This grant is to support SMEs to grow and be sustainable. We are providing certification support as well as helping the SMEs to acquire equipment”, she said.

Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Dr. Andy Okrah, commended the initiative and expressed appreciation to the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) for supporting efforts to enhance Ghana’s cashew and oil palm industries.

The Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme is expected to drive growth, foster innovation, and build resilience among SMEs operating in the tree crops value chain.

The event also marked the official launch of the programme’s third matching grant call, opening a new window of funding opportunities for eligible businesses.