Japanese firm unveils $100m plan to make Ghana Africa’s first AI farming hub
Degas Limited, a Japanese agritech company, has announced a USD100 million investment over the next four years to position Ghana as Africa’s first AI-powered agricultural hub.
The initiative builds on an existing model that has already supported over 86,000 smallholder farmers working across 122,000 acres nationwide.
Boosting Yields with AI
“Ghana has shown that when technology meets a clear national vision, smallholder farmers can thrive,” said Doga Makiura, CEO and founder of Degas Limited, during a meeting with President John Dramani Mahama on the sidelines of the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum.
“Our USD100 million commitment will scale AI-driven satellite monitoring and precision agriculture techniques so farmers can boost yields, reduce risk, and access fairly priced finance,” he stated.
According to Mr Makiura, farmers using the platform have already doubled their incomes while maintaining a 95 percent repayment rate. The Degas model combines AI-powered satellite data with modern agronomy techniques, drawing strong attention from Japanese investors.
Growing Investor Interest
“Many Japanese partners now consider Ghana’s integrated approach the gold standard for agricultural investment in Africa. President Mahama’s focus on value-chain integration aligns closely with Japan’s search for credible, scalable partnerships,” Mr Makiura stressed.
President Mahama welcomed the announcement, describing it as a strong endorsement of Ghana’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Driving Agricultural Transformation
“This investment reinforces our commitment to integrated agricultural value chains that connect farmers to markets, finance, storage, and processing. By leveraging AI and precision technologies, we will improve productivity, enhance food security, and create dignified jobs for youth across rural communities,” the President added.
The new funding will expand Degas’ farmer financing, satellite-enabled crop monitoring, and precision agronomy services. It will also strengthen partnerships across input supply, logistics, and offtake, helping to reinforce Ghana’s position as a continental leader in agricultural innovation.
