Cooperatives to play pivotal role in Ghana’s national food security programme
Launched in April by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, the programme encompasses a wide range of strategic interventions, including smart agriculture, infrastructure development, and innovative financing mechanisms
ACCRA, June 13, 2025 –– The Government of Ghana has affirmed the central role of cooperatives in its flagship food security initiative, Feed Ghana, aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and generating employment countrywide.
Launched in April by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, the programme encompasses a wide range of strategic interventions, including smart agriculture, infrastructure development, and innovative financing mechanisms.
At a press briefing held recently, Minister Opoku unveiled detailed plans outlining how co-operatives will be integrated into the programme.
“Co-operatives are proven instruments of empowerment,” said Opoku. “They enable farmers—especially smallholders and vulnerable groups—to benefit from economies of scale, collective bargaining, and improved access to resources. Forming cooperatives is not just an administrative step; it is a strategic pathway to transforming our agricultural sector.”
Under the Feed Ghana initiative, registered farmer co-operatives will be given priority access to a comprehensive package of support. This includes:
Farmer Service Centres offering mechanisation services, input distribution, agricultural extension, and climate-smart technologies;
Financial inclusion services such as savings schemes, insurance products, and mobile money platforms;
Access to credit and investment, enabling cooperatives to secure loans and receive high-yield livestock breeds, such as Kuroiler chickens, alongside feed subsidies and technical training;
Subsidised inputs including seeds, fertilisers, and animal feed;
Capacity building in areas such as farm management, agribusiness development, and digital agriculture.
In addition, cooperatives will be supported to negotiate fairer prices, establish long-term contracts with institutional buyers—such as hospitals, government agencies, and export markets—and gain a stronger voice in national policy-making processes.
Minister Opoku encouraged all farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, women, youth, and persons with disabilities, to organise into cooperatives aligned with their specific crops, livestock, or value chain activities.
“Our district agricultural offices are ready to support the formation and registration of cooperatives, offer governance training, and link groups to essential services,” he said. “I urge all farmers to take this opportunity seriously.”
The Feed Ghana programme is expected to serve as a cornerstone of Ghana’s broader agricultural transformation agenda, with cooperatives positioned as key agents in driving inclusive and sustainable growth across the sector.
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