The African Agribusiness Consortium (AAC) is calling for a bold shift from academic research to enterprise-driven solutions to transform Africa’s agricultural sector.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 2025 Ghana Association of Agricultural Economists Conference at KNUST’s Impact Building in Kumasi, Chief Executive Officer of African Agribusiness Consortium, Dr. Adelaide Araba Siaw Agyepong, urged agricultural economists across the continent to ensure that their research translates into commercially viable outcomes.

“Africa’s problem has never been a lack of ideas or innovation, but rather weak systems and institutional frameworks that prevent knowledge from becoming impactful enterprise. Our real struggle lies in creating the systems, financing structures, and institutional coordination that turn knowledge into action,” she noted.

Drawing on global lessons from Brazil, Thailand, and Argentina, she noted that countries that transformed their agricultural sectors did so through consistent, well-funded frameworks that aligned research, policy, and industry.

Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, also speaking at the event, reiterated agriculture’s critical role in Ghana’s economy, stressing its contribution to GDP, employment, and rural development.

He outlined the government priorities, including the Feed Ghana Policy and the 24-Hour Economy Policy, which are aimed at boosting productivity and driving agribusiness expansion.

The three-day conference, held under the theme “Transforming Agri-Food Systems in Developing Economies Through Sustainable Agribusiness Development,” brought together policymakers, academics, private-sector leaders, and development partners to deliberate on sustainable pathways for Africa’s agri-food systems.