Ghana’s Food Losses Could Feed the Ashanti Region for Over a Year

Ghana’s Food Losses Could Feed the Ashanti Region for Over a Year

Experts call for urgent reforms and investment to stop the waste

Ghana’s battle against food insecurity faces a silent but massive enemy, post-harvest losses. Agribusiness experts warn that the country loses food worth between $1.9 and $2 billion every year, a staggering amount that could feed the entire Ashanti Region for more than eighteen months.

This alarming revelation came from Mr. Daniel Fahene Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Limited, during the Regional Agribusiness Dialogue held in Kumasi on October 10, 2025. The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) with support from private and development partners, sparked renewed debate on how to strengthen Ghana’s agricultural value chain and reduce waste.

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The Hidden Cost of Food Waste

Mr. Acquaye highlighted the economic toll of Ghana’s post-harvest inefficiencies, noting that while the Ashanti Region — home to over 5.4 million people — consumes about GH₵14 billion (roughly $1.2 billion) worth of food each year, the country’s annual food losses nearly double that value.

“The food Ghana loses in a single year could feed the entire Ashanti Region for more than one and a half years,” he revealed, drawing surprise from participants.

According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, up to 30% of grains and 50% of fruits and vegetables harvested each year never reach consumers. The main causes include poor storage facilities, weak transport systems, and limited processing capacity — challenges that continue to frustrate farmers and agripreneurs alike.

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Importing What We Waste

Despite these losses, Ghana’s food import bill remains alarmingly high. Data from the Ghana Statistical Service shows that the country spent around $2 billion on food imports in 2024, a figure that has remained steady for several years.

Much of this expenditure goes into importing products like rice, poultry, wheat, and processed foods — items that could be produced locally if the post-harvest system were more efficient.

“It makes no sense for a country losing billions in food every year to keep importing what it wastes,” Mr. Acquaye warned. “This situation is unsustainable.”

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Financing the Fix: A Call for an AgriFund

One of the most discussed proposals at the Kumasi forum was the establishment of a dedicated AgriFund — a financial mechanism to support farmers, processors, and agribusinesses with investment capital.

For years, experts have argued that without targeted financing, Ghana cannot overcome structural challenges such as poor storage, inadequate irrigation, and limited logistics infrastructure. Currently, agriculture receives less than 5% of total bank credit, far below the continental average, according to the Bank of Ghana.

“If agriculture truly holds the key to transforming our economy, then we must invest in it deliberately. We need an AgriFund to drive that change,” Mr. Acquaye urged.

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Building a National Agribusiness Policy

The Regional Agribusiness Dialogue in Kumasi is the first in a series of regional consultations aimed at developing Ghana’s first-ever National Agribusiness Policy.

The initiative — led by MoTAI in collaboration with Agri-Impact Limited, Mastercard Foundation, PwC, and Development Bank Ghana — seeks to consolidate the country’s fragmented agricultural initiatives under a single strategic framework for growth.

Kwame Ntim, Head of Agribusiness at MoTAI, emphasized the importance of coordination:

“Our agribusiness sector has long operated without a unified direction. This policy will provide a roadmap to guide investment, value addition, and job creation.”

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A Renewed National Vision

This regional dialogue follows the National Agribusiness Dialogue held in Accra in July 2025, which was attended by President John Dramani Mahama and Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare. That high-level meeting reaffirmed Ghana’s vision to make agribusiness a key engine of food security, employment, and economic transformation.

With annual food losses almost equal to the nation’s import bill, the message from Kumasi was clear: Ghana cannot continue to lose what it could feed its people with.

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Conclusion: Time to Act

Ghana’s post-harvest losses are more than just wasted crops — they represent lost income, jobs, and opportunities for millions. The country has the knowledge, talent, and potential to change this narrative, but it requires bold investment, strong policy coordination, and sustained political will.

If Ghana commits to transforming its food systems today, the benefits will go far beyond saving lost harvests — they will secure a more resilient and self-sufficient future for all.

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Source: myjoyonline.com

Published on AgronomyHub by Emmanuel Appiah, an agricultural researcher passionate about crop diversity and food security in Ghana and beyond.

Date: October 12, 2025

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