The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has launched an initiative aimed at boosting soybean production in Ghana. The project, called the ‘Support to Soybean Development Programme in Ghana,’ aims to enhance competitiveness, profitability, and employment opportunities for the youth within the soybean value chain.
The program seeks to mobilize investments for infrastructure development, facilitate structured market and value chain financing, and address key challenges faced by soybean farmers.
These challenges include limited access to improved certified seeds, inadequate land preparation and mechanization options, and a lack of access to inoculants.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Japanese government and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the East and West Gonja Municipalities of the Savannah Region.
Minister Bryan Acheampong stated that the soybean project is an integral part of the second phase of the Planting for Food and Job (PFJ) program.
The government aims to transform the agricultural value chain for economic growth, with active private sector involvement in eleven key commodities. The specific objective of the soybean intervention is to increase production to meet local demand, promote exports, and generate employment opportunities for the youth.
Ghana currently has a significant demand for soybeans, with the FAO estimating an annual demand of over 450,000 metric tonnes. The country imports soymeal worth US$30 million each year. In 2022, Ghana’s soybean production and consumption totaled 255,209 metric tonnes, and the government plans to increase production to over one million metric tonnes by 2027.
Minister Acheampong called for collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure the smooth implementation of the project.
The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mochizuki Hisanobu, announced that the Japanese government would invest an estimated US$600,000 in soybean production to improve the entire value chain in Ghana. This initiative aligns with Japan’s commitment to supporting agriculture in Ghana and contributes to the country’s food security agenda.
Dr. Yurdi Yasmi, the FAO’s Regional Representative to Ghana, highlighted the project’s alignment with the UNFAO’s Global Action on Green Development of Special Agricultural Products, known as ‘One Country, One Priority Product.’ Dr. Yasmi emphasized the importance of soybeans in transforming Ghana’s agrifood systems, as the legume has the potential to create employment, increase incomes in rural communities, and contribute to the growth of the livestock and poultry sectors.
Under the project, the FAO will focus on capacity development, sensitization, and public education regarding soybean consumption.
Source – myjoyonline.com
