Ghana

Ghana is located in West Africa, between Côte d’lvoire (Ivory Coast) and Togo. The country’s total land area is 238,533 sq km. In comparison, it is slightly larger than Romania, or about the size of the state of Oregon in the U.S. The country’s climate is tropical: warm and relatively dry along the southeast coast; hot and humid in the southwest; hot and dry in the north. Environmental issues facing the country include recurrent drought in the north, lack of potable water, deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion and water pollution. Of the total land area, 17 percent is utilized for cultivated crops, while another nine percent supports permanent crops such as fruit- and nut-bearing trees. The country’s economy continues to focus on agriculture, which accounts for 35 percent of GDP and employs 56 percent of the work force (primarily smallholder farmers). Gold and cocoa are the country’s primary exports, and are the largest contributors to GDP. Ghana signed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector. The country’s population is approximately 24 million, with 29 percent of its population living in poverty. Other agricultural products in Ghana include rice, cassava, peanuts, maize, shea nuts, bananas and timber. The North and West Africa Division is responsible for IFDC activities in Ghana.

Current IFDC Projects in Ghana

• Toward Sustainable Clusters in Agribusiness through Learning in Entrepreneurship (2SCALE), 2012-2016
  2SCALE is improving rural livelihoods, nutrition and food security in Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Sudan and Uganda, with 1.15 million smallholder families ultimately increasing their productivity by 100 percent and their net incomes by 30 percent. A key component is the development of a portfolio of 500 robust and viable agribusiness clusters and value chains to supply food to regional, national and local markets and the least fortunate, also known as base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) consumers.

DONOR: The Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)

• Agricultural Value Chain Mentorship Project (AVCMP), 2011-2014
  The goal of AVCMP is to transform Ghana’s agricultural value chain into a highly productive, efficient, competitive and sustainable system by strengthening the capacity of agro-dealers, small and medium enterprises and farmer-based organizations. Implemented by IFDC, the Ghana Agricultural Associations Business and Information Center (GAABIC) and the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), the project is targeting 34,000 smallholder farmers and 680 FBOs.

DONOR: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Danish International Development Agency

• Human Waste Recycling Pilot Project, 2009-2013
  The project is identifying deployable, environmentally and socially acceptable, scalable and replicable methods to collect, transport and process human waste from sanitation blocks in densely populated areas. The 2009 pilot project proved the viability of a waste recycling business model by constructing and operating communal service blocks and processing local waste streams for small-scale energy and fertilizer production. Project achievements include: technical data has been gathered as proof of viability; a solid organic fertilizer product is being developed by the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute (BNARI) in Legon; and testing continues at the Ashaiman pilot plant until the end of 2013. A proposal for roll-out funding is being submitted by Safisana Ghana Ltd. to the African Development Bank (AfDB).

DONOR: African Development Bank (AfDB) 

• Marketing Inputs Regionally (MIR Plus), 2009-2013
  MIR Plus is improving policy and regulatory environments in the 15 nations of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS). The project is increasing the use and efficiency of agro-inputs, improving the availability of technical and market information and using technology to link producers’ organizations with agro-dealers. The project links 2.23 million farmers to agro-dealers who will help train and supply the farmers. The project should increase maize and rain-fed rice yields by 20 percent for targeted farmers in Ghana and Nigeria, and increase irrigated rice yields in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone by 20 percent.

DONORS: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)

• USAID West Africa Fertilizer Program (USAID WAFP), 2012-2017
  USAID WAFP is working to increase food security and reduce poverty and hunger in West Africa by reducing the cost of fertilizer and increasing its use, reducing the distance between the farm gate and agro-dealers and increasing the efficiency of fertilizer use through accurate fertilizer recommendations. While the program has a regional focus, country-specific interventions are being implemented in Ghana, Liberia, Mali and Senegal. Activities are targeting 1,600 agro-dealers, who will provide an estimated 30,000 farmers with access to new agricultural technologies.

DONORS: U.S. Agency for International Development’s West Africa mission (USAID/WA)

Recent IFDC Projects in Ghana

• Africa Fertilizer Efficiency Program, 2009-2011
  This program was an agricultural intensification effort targeting peri-urban farmers who have the potential to supply increased crop yields to nearby urban markets. These smallholder farmers, who have fields immediately adjoining urban areas, were trained by IFDC in new farming technologies and supplied with high-quality agro-inputs including fertilizer and high-yielding seed varieties.

• From Thousands to Millions (1000s+), 2006-2010
  The 1000s+ project is improving the livelihoods of one million farm households, involving 10 million people, through the up-scaling of IFDC’s Competitive Agricultural Systems and Enterprises (CASE) approach. The farmer-led initiative, based on agribusiness cluster formation, targets Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. The project also focuses on Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), improving soil fertility through the combined use of mineral and organic fertilizers.

DONOR: The Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)

• Accelerating Agribusiness in Africa – Bridge (AAA-Bridge), 2011-2012
  The AAA-Bridge project was an extension of Strategic Alliance for Agricultural Development in Africa (SAADA-B) activities. The objective of AAA-Bridge was to expand IFDC activities and best practices developed in West Africa, such as the Competitive Agricultural Systems and Enterprises (CASE) solution, Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), fertilizer deep placement (FDP), fertilizer resource assessments and market information systems (MIS), into other regions of Africa. Specifically, this project expansion was designed to replicate the CASE approach and other aspects of the IFDC agribusiness model in select countries of eastern and southern Africa.

• Establishment of the Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA), 2007-2009
  This association-building project began in December 2007 to increase incomes and improve livelihoods of resource-poor cocoa farmers in Ghana by strengthening the CAA. This public-private partnership helped the CAA become more financially sustainable, built members’ business skills and technical knowledge, improved access to agro-inputs, improved cocoa quality and created a favorable trade environment.

DONOR:Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

• Linking Farmers to Markets (FtM), 2010-2013
  Through the FtM project, IFDC increased northern Ghanaian rice, maize, sorghum and soybean farmers’ incomes and long-term business opportunities by developing new commercial linkages with traders, marketing companies, processors and institutional buyers. FTM affected approximately 50,000 smallholders’ livelihoods by creating farmer alliances, training and equipping small- to medium-sized enterprises and building lasting relationships with national, regional and international produce purchasing companies.

DONOR: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

• Ghana Agro-Dealer Development Project (GADD), 2008-2012
  The GADD project built the agricultural productivity and incomes of 850,000 smallholder farmers across Ghana by increasing the availability and affordability of quality agro-inputs including seeds, fertilizer and crop protection products. To support these efforts, GADD strengthened the capacities of 2,200 agro-dealers and 150 seed producers.

DONOR: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

• Mainstreaming Pro-Poor Fertilizer Access and Innovative Practices in West Africa, 2010-2013
  The project improved livelihoods in West Africa with a focus on resource-poor farmers, farmer organizations and community associations through improved land husbandry and better access to, and more efficient use of fertilizer. The project utilized a holistic Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) approach to improve depleted soils. The project also focused in the areas of natural resources, improved technologies, competitive markets, private enterprise development and national policy advocacy.

• Marketing Inputs Regionally (MIR), 2002-2008
  The MIR project increased the affordability and accessibility of quality inputs for targeted smallholders in West Africa, and provided technical support and training for farmers and dealers. MIR developed regional and national regulatory frameworks, supported the advancement of farmer and agro-dealer associations, facilitated dialogue along the value chain and implemented sustainable development of the cotton agro-input sub-sector.

DONOR: The Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)

• MiDA Commercial Development of Farmer-Based Organizations, 2008-2011
  The Millennium Development Authority's (MiDA) Ghana Compact was implemented in 2006 with the goal of reducing poverty by raising farmer incomes through private sector-led agribusiness development. IFDC co-led the Compact's Agriculture project, with overall responsibility for the Commercial Development of Farmer-Based Organizations (CDFO) component. CDFO focused on training farmers and enterprises in commercial agriculture; improving access to, and use of, irrigation to enhance agricultural production; and improving post-harvest handling and value chain services.

DONOR: Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)

• NEPAD-FAO Fertilizer Subsidy Study, 2011-2012
  The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) commissioned this study on fertilizer subsidy programs in eight African countries, with technical guidance and financial support provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and IFDC. The study is an overview of different subsidy models, thus providing a menu of best practices for countries considering ‘smart’ subsidies or wishing to alter ongoing subsidy programs. The study focuses on fertilizer subsidy programs in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia.

DONORS: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

• Rice Emergency Initiative, 2009-2010
  The Rice Emergency Initiative was created, in part, to boost rice production in Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal in order to mitigate potential shortages of this staple crop. The program targets 10,000 rice farmers in each of the nations and aims to boost total domestic rice production by 30,000 tons of paddy rice. IFDC is also improving access for the 40,000 farmers to certified rice seed and quality fertilizer.

DONOR: Africa Rice Center, U.S. Agency for International Development

• Strategic Alliance of Agricultural Development in Africa (SAADA), 2006-2010
  For the SAADA project, IFDC has organized a strategic alliance of international non-governmental organizations to facilitate regional, national and multi-national agricultural intensification/agribusiness programs with an initial focus in West Africa – with project expansion into select countries of eastern and southern Africa. The project utilizes the Competitive Agricultural Systems and Enterprises (CASE) approach for agribusiness cluster formation and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) to increase agricultural productivity.

DONOR: The Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)

Ghana Information

IFDC Develops Sustainable Value Chains and Increases Profitable Agriculture in West Africa (Taken from IFDC Report Volume 36, No. 4)

The 1000s+ Project Improves Livelihoods of One Million Rural Farm Families in West Africa (Taken from IFDC Report Volume 36, No. 3)

Ghana Articles

IFPRI and IFDC Study the Condition of Fertilizer Markets in West AfricaTaken from IFDC Report, Volume 36, No. 2

An IFDC Core Competency: Fertilizer Voucher ProgramTaken from IFDC Report Volume 36, No. 1

An IFDC Core Competency: Agro-Dealer Development (Taken from IFDC Report Volume 35, No. 3)

GADD Project Provides Technical Support to Agro--Dealer Association (Taken from IFDC Report Volume 35, No. 3)

Changing Lives