President Mahama Launches ‘Feed Ghana’ Plan to Cut Food Imports

Ghana’s agricultural sector is getting a major overhaul with the launch of a new initiative — the Feed Ghana Programme. President John Dramani Mahama officially introduced the ambitious plan on Saturday in Techiman, Bono East Region, one of Ghana’s most productive food zones.

The program aims to boost local food production, reduce dependence on food imports, and create thousands of jobs, especially for the youth and women.

President Mahama explained that Ghana currently spends over $2 billion a year on food imports, which is unsustainable and harmful to the economy. He believes it’s time for Ghana to take charge of its food systems.

“We must place agriculture at the center of our economic transformation,” he said.

“This programme is not just about farming — it’s about jobs, income, and national stability.”

A New Vision for Agriculture

Under the Feed Ghana Programme, the government will support the production of vital crops like maize, rice, soya bean, tomato, onion, cassava, yam, and chilli pepper. It will also invest in poultry, oil palm, livestock, and industrial crops like cocoa, coffee, rubber, shea, and cotton.

The initiative also includes:

• Farmers’ Service Centres for equipment, inputs, and training
• Farm Banks to provide finance and business support to young farmers
• Urban farming to boost food availability in cities
• Support for poultry farmers, targeting 4 million birds this year

President Mahama stressed the need to close the import gap, especially in poultry, where Ghana spends $400 million a year importing chicken.

“We are ashamed of this,” he said.

“This year alone, we are supporting 50 anchor farmers and 55,000 households to rear over 1 million birds.”

Palm Oil, Processing, and Jobs

The initiative also introduces a National Palm Oil Policy, focusing on commercial plantations, local processing, and exports. Agro-processing zones will be developed across the country, complete with roads, power, irrigation, and warehousing to attract private investment.

Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, urged Ghanaians to embrace the plan and reduce dependence on imports, noting that the country spends heavily importing food that could easily be grown locally.

“We have fertile land and water — there is no excuse,” he said.

With bold plans and a national call to action, the Feed Ghana Programme promises to not only put food on the table but to create a stronger, self-reliant economy powered by Ghanaian farmers.