The government is preparing to launch a significant farm-driven jobs program that could generate over 500,000 job openings across the country as part of a new plan to revolutionise the agriculture industry and promote equitable economic growth.
At a high-level meeting with Ethiopis Tafara, Regional Vice President for Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in Washington, D.C., Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson made the announcement.
In order to secure fresh investments and technical assistance for Ghana’s agricultural transformation plan, the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Ghana and the IFC.
Dr. Forson believes that as part of a larger plan to create profitable crops, the government is completing a thorough Oil Palm Plantation Policy that would be included in the 2026 Budget.
The program seeks to fully utilise these crops’ potential to create significant jobs at every stage of the value chain, from production and exports to cultivation and processing.
“The opportunities in economic crops are immense. With the right investment and strategic partnerships, Ghana can create over 500,000 jobs across the value chain, agriculture will remain at the heart of our economic transformation agenda,” according to Dr. Forson.
The finance minister underlined that the government is collaborating closely with the World Bank, IFC, and other development partners to raise funds to assist growth driven by the private sector, but that creating such expansive plantations calls for patient, long-term resources.
Mr. Ethiopis Tafara, for his part, reiterated the IFC’s dedication to assisting Ghana with its development priorities, characterising agriculture as a crucial means of utilising Africa’s demographic dividend and generating long-term employment.
The collaboration demonstrates Ghana’s overarching goal of using sustainable agriculture to achieve industrialisation, economic diversification, and inclusive growth.
Source: newsthemegh.com