Ghana Showcases Agribusiness Investment Opportunities at Africa Food Systems Forum 2025

By Praisebell Roisemond Larbi

The Government of Ghana, in partnership with AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), is set to host a high-level Deal Room session at the ongoing Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2025 in Dakar. The initiative, scheduled for Wednesday, underscores Ghana’s ambition to position agriculture as a leading driver of investment, employment, and economic transformation.

The Ghana Deal Room, themed “Feeding Prosperity Through Smart Investments in Ghana,” will showcase the country’s agricultural investment potential to global investors, agribusiness leaders, and development partners. The session will focus on unlocking opportunities that can reduce import dependency, boost exports, and stimulate value addition across priority value chains.

High-Level Representation

The country’s delegation will be led by Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and Presidential Advisor for 24-Hour Economy & Accelerated Export Development, Augustus Obuadum Goosie Tanoh. Both will deliver keynote presentations designed to highlight Ghana’s competitive advantages as a hub for agribusiness investment in West Africa.

Mr. Tanoh is expected to articulate Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy framework as a transformative policy tool, with particular emphasis on strategic agribusiness value chains. According to preliminary documents, his address will outline over $4 billion in potential private sector investment opportunities, particularly in agro-infrastructure and processing. He will frame agribusiness as a sector where the 24-Hour Economy model—continuous production and value chain activity around the clock—can deliver inclusive growth and large-scale employment for Ghana’s youthful population.

Minister Opoku, on the other hand, will highlight ongoing reforms to address systemic challenges confronting smallholder farmers, including high post-harvest losses, inadequate storage facilities, limited access to mechanization, and financing barriers. His presentation will demonstrate how the government is creating a more enabling environment for investors while tackling food security challenges.

Targeted Investment Areas

The Ghana Deal Room will present detailed opportunities in the production and processing of rice, soya, poultry, and vegetables. These commodities have been carefully selected based on Ghana’s comparative advantage and the high levels of unmet demand in both local and regional markets.

In particular, rice and soya are expected to attract strong investor interest due to the country’s rising demand for processed foods and the potential for import substitution. Poultry remains a critical area, given Ghana’s heavy reliance on imports, while vegetables represent an expanding subsector with strong linkages to nutrition and export earnings.

The session will also stress Ghana’s commitment to climate-smart and resilient agricultural practices, ensuring that investment aligns with sustainability and long-term environmental stewardship.

Ghana’s Strategic Position

Organisers of the Ghana Deal Room describe the country as a “natural hub for agribusiness investment.” Positioned as the gateway to the West African subregion, Ghana offers investors access to a market of more than 350 million consumers within ECOWAS.

The country also boasts strong political will and clear policy frameworks, including the Feed Ghana Program and flagship initiatives such as the 24-Hour Economy strategy, which provide concrete evidence of Ghana’s determination to transform its food systems.

With vast arable land, diverse agroecological zones, and a growing number of innovative agripreneurs, Ghana presents a compelling case for scaling production, agro-processing, and export-oriented agribusiness. Organizers further point to Ghana’s tech-savvy youth population, whose growing involvement in agribusiness provides the energy and innovation required for accelerated sectoral growth.

Context of the Forum

The Africa Food Systems Forum, organized annually by AGRA, has emerged as the continent’s most influential platform for food systems dialogue and action. The 2025 edition is being held under the theme “Africa’s Youth Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation.”

This year’s event, which runs from August 31 to September 5, 2025, is convening more than 6,000 participants from 113 countries, including over 75 presidents, ministers, policymakers, researchers, investors, agribusiness executives, and youth entrepreneurs. Discussions are focusing on how to accelerate the transformation of Africa’s food systems through innovation, inclusivity, and private sector-driven solutions.

For Ghana, the forum represents a unique opportunity to showcase its reforms and attract the strategic partnerships needed to advance self-sufficiency and position the country as an agribusiness hub.

Broader Participation by Ghana

Beyond the Deal Room session, Ghana’s delegation is expected to feature prominently in various high-level discussions. Minister Opoku will take part in a Ministerial Roundtable plenary on the theme “Biodiversity, Climate, and Land: Making the Conventions Work for Africa.” The roundtable will examine how African countries can balance food production with sustainability commitments under international climate and biodiversity agreements.

Meanwhile, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, will address a Youth Dome event, celebrating the contributions of young African agripreneurs and sharing Ghana’s strategies for empowering its youth through agriculture.

Several Ghanaian youth entrepreneurs will also participate in the forum, taking part in networking sessions, investment discussions, and innovation showcases that are designed to accelerate their access to continental opportunities in agribusiness.

Strategic Outlook

As Ghana intensifies efforts to attract foreign direct investment into its agricultural sector, the 2025 AFSF platform provides a vital stage for showcasing its potential. The government is keen to present Ghana not just as a food-secure nation in the making, but also as a reliable partner for investors seeking scalable, sustainable, and profitable ventures in Africa.

The Ghana Deal Room is thus expected to generate concrete commitments from private sector actors, development partners, and international financiers who see opportunities in the country’s agribusiness value chains. Officials remain optimistic that outcomes from the session will feed directly into the government’s broader agenda of export-led growth, job creation, and industrialization.