Govt Targets 100,000 Hectares of New Oil Palm Plantations to Reset Industry
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Ghana’s oil palm industry, with plans to support the establishment of 100,000 hectares of new oil palm plantations to boost domestic production, create jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on imported palm oil.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture announced this at the National Oil Palm Multistakeholder Roundtable Forum in Accra on Wednesday.
The forum, held under the theme, “From Policy to Practice: The Role of TCDA in Resetting Ghana’s Oil Palm Industry,” brought together government officials, the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), farmers, processors, investors, research institutions, development partners, traditional authorities and other stakeholders across the oil palm value chain.
The Minister said Ghana had no shortage of agricultural policies and studies, but stressed that the priority should now be implementation, coordination and accountability.
“Policy acquires value only when it changes lives,” he said, stressing that the forum should produce clear commitments on responsibilities, timelines, resources and measurable targets.
According to the Minister, oil palm remains a strategic crop because of its links to both agriculture and industry. The crop supports farmers, nursery operators, transporters, processors, traders and manufacturers, while providing opportunities for women and young people.
Palm products also serve as raw materials for industries including soap and cosmetics manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, animal feed and bioenergy.
However, Ghana continues to face a significant gap between domestic palm oil production and national demand, resulting in substantial imports.
The Minister said the deficit represents lost employment opportunities, underutilised processing capacity, reduced farmer incomes and foreign exchange that could otherwise remain in the domestic economy. He added that the situation creates opportunities for smuggling and unfair competition, which undermine legitimate businesses and reduce government revenue.
The Minister identified the TCDA, established under the Tree Crops Development Authority Act, 2019 (Act 1010), as the institutional anchor for the oil palm transformation agenda
The TCDA is expected to strengthen registration and licensing, production planning, industry data collection, traceability, quality assurance and coordination among stakeholders.
The Minister said the 100,000-hectare expansion should not be measured simply by acreage. He said success would depend on the quality of planting materials, farm productivity, farmer incomes, inclusion of smallholders, women and young people, secure land arrangements, environmental protection, access to finance, processing efficiency and stronger market linkages.
He called for increased access to high-yielding, climate-resilient and disease-tolerant planting materials, backed by research, certified nurseries, extension services and improved farm management.
The Minister said smallholder farmers must remain at the centre of the industry, with large-scale investment complemented by well-organised and adequately supported smallholder and outgrower schemes.
He also highlighted land tenure and access to finance as major constraints to oil palm development, calling for patient financing arrangements that take into account the crop’s gestation period.
Financial institutions, he said, should develop suitable products for nurseries, farmers, aggregators and processors.
The Minister further called for investments in efficient processing facilities, storage, logistics, quality control and reliable off-take arrangements.
He said Ghana should move beyond increasing production of fresh fruit bunches to developing more finished palm-based products for domestic consumption and export.
The Minister stressed that the expansion must avoid the destruction of forests and environmentally sensitive landscapes, while improving productivity on existing plantations and bringing suitable new areas into production.
He also called for stronger collaboration among the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, TCDA, research organisations, financial institutions, development partners, district assemblies, traditional authorities, farmer organisations and the private sector.
The Minister said future assessments of the programme should focus on tangible results, including certified nurseries, productive farms, functioning mills, new businesses, decent jobs, increased domestic palm oil supply and reduced imports.
