Ghana secures €154 million Italian support to boost food security and modernize agriculture
10th October 2025
Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has finalized a €154 million financing agreement with the Italian government under a new initiative dubbed “Strengthening Agri-Food Ecosystems in Ghana.”
The project aims to enhance food security, modernize agricultural practices, and build climate resilience across the country’s agri-food value chain.
The three-year project (2025–2027), designated AID 013210, will promote public-private partnerships between Ghanaian and Italian institutions to improve productivity, strengthen agri-business linkages, and support sustainable rural development.
As part of the initiative, 10,000 hectares of irrigated farmland will be developed for the cultivation of maize, rice, tomato, and soya. The model farm will operate under year-round irrigation to ensure consistent production for the domestic market.
The International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) of Italy will collaborate with Ghana’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to create a soil testing and crop suitability map to optimize yields.
CIHEAM will also partner with the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana to establish a national seed bank to safeguard and enhance seed quality.
Beyond crop production, the project includes community infrastructure development, such as schools, toilet facilities, social centers, and ICT hubs, to improve rural livelihoods in the project zone.
Expected outcomes include:
- Development of 10,000 hectares of fully irrigated and sustainably managed farmland.
- Construction of essential social amenities to support local communities.
- Strengthened institutional and technical capacity in modern agriculture.
Direct beneficiaries will include farm workers, agricultural technicians, researchers, farmers’ groups, and Ministry officials, while indirect beneficiaries—estimated at 23,000 residents of the Aveyime-Battor area and over 1.6 million people across the Volta Region—will benefit from improved food supply, job creation, and knowledge transfer.
Minister Eric Opoku, who attended the Eighth Agrilevante Fair in Bari, Italy (October 7–11, 2025), said the collaboration reflects Ghana’s renewed commitment to transform agriculture into a modern, sustainable, and inclusive growth sector that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).