In the upcoming 2025 elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), under the leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama, aims to revolutionize agricultural practices in Ghana through the establishment of the Youth Agriculture-Estate Programme (YAP). This innovative initiative is designed to offer comprehensive support to young farmers by providing financial assistance, land allocations, agronomic guidance, and access to modern mechanized tools. The program also incorporates a partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to enhance school farms, allowing students to engage in agricultural learning while benefiting from expert agricultural extension services. This initiative is further elaborated in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto, titled “Resetting Ghana: Jobs, Accountability, and Prosperity,” emphasizing the importance of institutional development and regulatory reform for the agricultural sector.
Mahama’s government plans to bolster institutional frameworks essential for sustainable agriculture, starting with a restructuring of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA). This restructuring seeks to enhance the effectiveness of institutions responsible for grain warehousing, encouraging private sector participation. Moreover, improvements to the Veterinary Services Directorate are anticipated, transforming it into an authority to better oversee livestock health and production. Significant focus will be placed on upgrading the Pong Tamale Veterinary College into a satellite campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), aimed at training more veterinary professionals and conducting vital research within the livestock sector. The enhancement of vaccine production capabilities at the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Pong-Tamale is also on the agenda to improve livestock health management.
A core tenet of Mahama’s agricultural policy is the development of infrastructure to ease conflicts between farmers and herders, particularly in migration corridors. To empower smallholder farmers, the NDC plans to establish cooperatives in every district, fostering collaboration and improving resource-sharing among farmers. The next government will also conduct compulsory agricultural censuses to ensure accurate records of farmers, which will aid in better policy formulation. To support this agricultural reformation, a Government Agriculture Insurance Subsidy (GAIS) program is proposed to mitigate risks associated with farming, alongside a Networked Farmer-Collateral Registry that allows insured farmers to utilize their insurance as collateral for securing loans. Additionally, initiatives to enhance the Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX) are set to streamline production, financing, and marketing processes in agriculture.
The NDC, under Mahama, aims to facilitate improved access to low-cost financing to stimulate agricultural development. This includes refocusing the Exim Bank to provide concessional support to cooperatives and community banks, particularly for export promotion. Collaborations will be encouraged to offer training, mentorship, and education in agricultural ventures, with an emphasis on using technology to elevate agricultural practices. The NDC plans to implement user-friendly digital platforms and cultivate virtual communities that share successful farming narratives to inspire youth participation in agriculture.
Mahama’s agricultural vision also extends to establishing Agro-Production enclaves where essential infrastructure, including irrigation systems and networked warehousing, will be developed. Identifying strategic land areas for large-scale crop and livestock production is prioritised, along with creating Agro-Industrial Zones to bolster allied industries and services. Furthermore, ‘Farmers’ Services Centres’ will be established in agro-production areas to provide support specifically to smallholder farmers. For the fishing industry, Fisheries Services Centres (FiSC) will be created to facilitate access to necessary equipment and services for fisherfolk, while strategic silos and warehouses will be refurbished to enhance post-harvest activities and reduce losses.
In a bid to attract youth and women into the agricultural sector, the NDC plans to promote agricultural estates and expand local fertilizer production by supporting domestic companies to manufacture fertilizers. The government intends to facilitate financing for private sector farms and mariculture by implementing a land and aquatic bank acquisition framework. To significantly boost agricultural productivity, Mahama aims to double the cultivable land under irrigation, revitalizing various irrigation projects such as the Nasia-Nabogo and Pwalugu dams. By enhancing irrigation and water management strategies, the NDC hopes to sustainably increase agricultural output, thereby transforming Ghana’s agricultural landscape and ensuring food security for the nation.
