The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Eric Opoku, has pledged to improve food production across the five northern regions of Ghana, following a challenging farming season marked by drought.

His commitment comes as he signs a one-million-dollar funding agreement aimed at supporting women farmers, particularly in irrigation and agricultural tools.

Speaking during the signing of the agreement between the government and the Association of Rural Banks Apex Bank (ARB) Dr Opoku stated that the project is focused on funding irrigation systems and other tools, with particular emphasis on supporting women in the Northern and Oti regions.

“The project is targeted at funding irrigation systems and other implements to support especially women in the five Northern and Oti regions,” he said.

The project is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP). Dr Opoku expressed his gratitude, saying, “Let me begin by extending, on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, our heartfelt appreciation to GAFSP for the generous 20 million cedis aimed at building resilience for food and nutrition in the northern savannah ecological zone.”

He also praised the African Development Bank for its unwavering partnership and technical support throughout the design and mobilisation of the initiative.

The project is currently being implemented across 12 districts in six regions, including the five northern regions and Oti. Dr Opoku emphasised that by focusing efforts on a smaller number of districts, the project aims to achieve a more substantial and measurable impact.

“By concentrating our efforts in a smaller number of districts, we aim to achieve maximum and measurable impact,” he noted.

Building on the success of the Savannah Investment Programme, the new initiative seeks to scale up proven agricultural interventions to reach more beneficiaries, particularly women and youth, who are often the most vulnerable in agricultural communities.

The project's objectives include increasing farmers' incomes, improving household nutrition, and empowering women-headed households.

It will achieve this through a combination of improved access to climate-smart agricultural inputs for staple crops such as maize, rice, soybean, cowpea, and groundnuts.

In addition to improved agricultural inputs, the programme aims to enhance mechanisation by providing smallholder farmers with handheld agricultural equipment tailored to their needs.

The initiative will also deploy solar-powered micro-irrigation kits to improve dry-season vegetable production, as well as promote household poultry farming to ensure access to affordable and nutritious food.

A key component of the project is the establishment of a revolving fund, valued at one million dollars, designed to provide smallholder farmers and agribusinesses with access to affordable, low-interest financial services.

This fund will support value chain actors, including those involved in production and product development.

He emphasised that this intervention is aligned with the government’s Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) and the Feed Ghana programme, forming a cohesive national strategy to build a sustainable and resilient food system capable of transforming communities across the country.

He explained, “Together, these initiatives form a cohesive national strategy to build a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food system capable of transforming lives and communities across the country.”

The signing of the fund management agreement with ARB Apex Bank marks a pivotal milestone in the project’s rollout.

He explained that ARB Apex Bank was chosen due to its extensive network of rural and community banks, deeply embedded in the operational areas of the project. This network provides the best potential for reaching target beneficiaries at the grassroots level.

“ARB Apex Bank was carefully chosen for this role due to its extensive network of rural and community banks, which are well-rooted in the project’s operational areas,” the Minister stated. “This structure offers the greatest potential for reaching our target beneficiaries where it matters most, at the grassroots.”

The revolving fund will support smallholder farmers, particularly women’s groups engaged in vegetable production and the cultivation of women-led crops such as groundnuts, cowpea, and soybean.

These groups will be able to access affordable credit, improving their ability to expand production and grow their businesses.

Additionally, micro-enterprises and agribusinesses within the agricultural value chain will benefit from the fund to improve their resilience and expand operations.

Dr Opoku also noted the affordable terms of the revolving fund, which offers an interest rate of just 10 percent and a flexible repayment schedule.

“I am especially pleased that this revolving fund has been designed with an interest rate of just 10 percent and a flexible repayment schedule, making it truly accessible to those who need it most,” he said.

He added that the fund complements the government's efforts to de-risk agricultural lending through the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk Sharing Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL) scheme.

While optimistic about the project’s potential impact, Dr Opoku stressed that its success will depend on the responsible management and disbursement of funds.

“The true impact of this fund will depend on how effectively and responsibly it is managed and disbursed,” he remarked. “I urge all stakeholders particularly the Project Implementation Unit, ARB Apex Bank, and the rural and community banks to work with urgency, transparency, and dedication to ensure the efficient administration and sustainable use of the fund.”

Dr Opoku concluded by expressing his gratitude to the development partners and calling for continued collaboration to improve Ghana’s agricultural landscape.

“I wish to once again thank the GAFSP Secretariat, the African Development Bank, and all our development partners for their unwavering support. Let us continue to work hand in hand to transform Ghana’s agricultural landscape for the better,” he said.