Neglect of decentralised Agriculture threatens flagship policies – CAG

The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) has warned that the continued neglect of decentralised agricultural development at the local level could undermine key government flagship initiatives, including the Feed Ghana Programme (FGP), the 24-Hour Economy Policy, land banks, and the nkoko nkitinkiti project.

According to the Chamber, weak district-level agricultural services make it difficult for national policies to achieve their intended outcomes, compromising food security, youth employment, agribusiness growth, and broader rural transformation efforts.

CAG is therefore calling on government to decentralise major agricultural policies and ensure adequate financing at the local level to support sustained sector growth.

Speaking on the matter, Chief Executive Officer of CAG, Anthony Morrison, said the challenge facing Ghana’s agricultural sector extends beyond policy design at the national level, noting that poor implementation due to inadequate local financing poses a major risk to growth both locally and nationally.

He pointed to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), established under Article 252 of the 1992 Constitution, as the most important source of discretionary funding for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The fund, he explained, was created to promote equitable development by granting local governments access to national resources.

However, CAG noted a major structural weakness in the DACF framework—its failure to provide a statutory or protected allocation for agriculture. As a result, District Chief Executives, faced with competing demands such as roads, classrooms, markets, sanitation, and administrative costs, often place agriculture at a lower priority, not due to its lack of importance but because it has no legally guaranteed fiscal space within the decentralised financing system.

“This has left district departments of agriculture without vehicles and motorbikes for extension services, funding for farmer training and demonstrations, or resources to support agribusiness and value chain development,” Mr Morrison said. “Extension officers are often confined to their offices, unable to reach farmers regularly, which undermines productivity, innovation and resilience, particularly in rural communities.”

Time for Policy Reform

CAG stressed that if Ghana is serious about decentralisation and local economic development, agriculture can no longer be treated as an afterthought in district financing. The Chamber argues that urgent, concrete reforms are required.

Mr Morrison proposed the introduction of a statutory minimum allocation of the DACF to agriculture, dedicated specifically to agricultural and agribusiness development at the MMDA level.

“Ring-fencing even a modest percentage of the DACF for agriculture would significantly improve extension delivery, irrigation support, mechanisation services, post-harvest management, and value chain development,” he stated.

The Chamber also called for stronger accountability mechanisms, including the inclusion of clear agricultural budget lines in district composite budgets and the incorporation of agricultural performance indicators into the assessment of MMDAs and District Chief Executives. CAG stressed that agriculture must be explicitly recognised as a key driver of local economic growth.

In addition, Mr Morrison urged government to consider broader institutional reforms, including the establishment of a Ghana Agriculture and Agribusiness Service (GAAS) under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

“Similar to the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Service, a Ghana Agriculture and Agribusiness Service would provide a dedicated institutional framework for decentralised agricultural service delivery, with predictable funding, logistics support, and clear career progression for staff,” he added.