Ghana Agricultural Investment Plan (GhAIP) 2018-2021.

According to this Policy, the vision of Ghana’s agricultural sector is a modernised agriculture culminating in a structurally transformed economy and evident in food security, employment opportunities and reduced poverty. The Policy is focusing on promoting sustainable agriculture and thriving agribusiness through research and technology development for improved food security, nutrition and incomes. The functions shall be agricultural policy formulation, sector planning, development and management of sector programmes and projects, preparation of annual budgets, generation and dissemination of agricultural technologies and advisory services, monitoring and evaluation of agricultural sector. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is the lead government agency and focal point for the development of the agricultural sector which its mandate is to develop and execute policies, programs and strategies for the agricultural sector within the context of a coordinated national socio-economic growth and development agenda. The sector comprises five sub-sectors namely; crops, livestock, fisheries, cocoa, and forestry/logging.
The goal of Ghana’s national agriculture policy is to accelerate agricultural modernisation and ensure sustainable natural resources management with the focus on transform the agricultural sector to increase productivity, output, create jobs, increase incomes and ensure food security. The sources of funding for the agricultural sector is categorised into four by the Government of Ghana (GoG), Annual Budget Fund Amount (ABFA), Internally Generated Fund (IGF) and Donor Funding. The investment areas include climate change mitigation and resilience schemes, renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, promoting the reduction of deforestation and adapting afforestation measures, promoting research, and knowledge dissemination on climate change mitigation and promoting greenhouse, promotion of genetic improvements in livestock plants to increase productivity and disaster residence, enhancing the production and utilisation of certified seeds and enhancing access to fertiliser, agrochemicals and veterinary medicines.
The government also has the Planting for Export and Rural Developments (PERD) as a priority initiative to develop the tree crops subsection in the medium term. It aims at increasing the raw material base in order to drive the One-District-One-Factory initiative and provide employment opportunities to the youth and farmers nationwide. Gender is an important dimension of poverty in Ghana where ever 51% of the population are women suffering from gender inequality. Discussion on job creation options in agriculture for the youth need a gender-sensitive approach so no one is marginalised and the expected impact is realised. Similar approaches are referred for poverty reduction, social protection and food and nutrition security.The government requires to ensure effective implementation of plans and programs through establishment of modalities and regulation framework for production of seed/planting materials and other agro-inputs; increase investment in research and development; provide appropriate irrigation infrastructure; intensify agricultural mechanisation; reinvigorate agricultural extension services and promote commercial and block farming. This Policy is drafted in 6 Chapters referring to issues of performance review, current situation and baseline (1); development issues for the medium term (2); development policy objectives and strategies (3); development programs and sub-programs (4); program of action (5); implementation, monitoring and evaluation (6).