Ghana

Intra-regional trade in agricultural and food products is crucial for West Africa's food system resilience, but persistent challenges result in lower official trade flows compared to other regions of Africa. Several policies have been formulated to facilitate and strengthen trade flows throughout the subregion. These include, among others, the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), the ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Whilst the adoption of these policies and frameworks may be lauded, the evidence suggests that ECOWAS Member States are struggling with the implementation of these normative policies.

Subsequently, through the World Bank financed US$ 1.2 Billion West Africa Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), ECOWAS has designed and introduced the ECOWAS Agriculture Trade & Market Scorecard (EATM-S) as a flagship initiative, to monitor and enhance member states’ compliance with agreed standards.

The Good

West Africa has been a well-established, integrated region since the early 8th century and was home to the first known African empires, such as the Ghana empire and the Mali empire (also known as Mandé) in the 13th century, which included territories of several current West African countries. Both empires had strong trade relationships with their neighbours. They had large gold endowments and were at the crossroads of traders coming from both the north (Maghreb region) and south (Soudano region). In addition to gold, copper, and salt, agricultural products were highly traded in the region (Source: Niane, 1987). Trade was facilitated by the presence of homogenous ethnolinguistic groups established in several countries, which were later fragmented in the colonial period. These included the Mandingo group - present in Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Gambia, as well as the Fulani group - present in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Benin, Niger, and Nigeria. (Source: Bouet et al, 2024).

Created in 1975, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established to pursue stability and regional integration in Africa and, over time, has expanded its mandate to include political dimensions. A major milestone was achieved shortly thereafter, with the launch of the ETLSin 1979 to foster regional trade. The ETLS first covered agricultural and unprocessed products (for food security reasons) and handicrafts, before it was extended to industrial products in 1990.

In that light, Ghana, a prominent member of ECOWAS, continues to participate in ECOWAS’ regional integration efforts through our commitment to ratification and harmonization of several trade policies and initiatives such as the ETLS, ECOWAP and the establishment of AfCFTA in Ghana.  

The BAD

Irrespective of all these regional strides, the harmony hoped for, is but a mirage across the sub-region. As we speak, there is no evidence that this phenomenon has changed over the period. Barriers, checkpoints, never-ending pull-overs and road inspections still exist. High custom duties and other petty charges, near-intimidating documentation requirements at borders, administrative obstacles, long hours and delays, restrictions and prohibitions and poor road infrastructure across countries persist; not to mention, robbery, harassments and abuse of female traders, and civil wars continue to plague trade activities in the sub-region.

When it comes to traders in food and agri produce, the perilous impacts cut even deeper. Imagine moving tomatoes from one country to another and doing that through numerous barrier-stops, getting pulled-over and parked for hours, exposing foodstuffs to the mercy of extreme weather. This certainly leads to the foodstuffs losing their nutritional value – that is, if they ever get to their destination markets in any marketable shape. This erodes the profit margin of the trader - hence the tendency to marginally hike prices of the few that make it to the market, to make up for the losses. It also discourages more traders from participating in the enterprise, leaving the trade to only a handful of traders to dictate terms in the marketplace. Livestock are also not spared the dread. Travelling long distances on mostly bumpy roads disorients them, in addition to dehydration under the scorching sun across time zones. Some eventually are unable to survive the journey.

The Promise

In view of these, the ECOWAS EATM-S performance measurement and tracking mechanism aims to identify gaps in the national implementation of regional agricultural and food trade policies.

Through the EATM-S, ECOWAS is monitoring and assessing the progress or otherwise being made by member countries towards breaking barriers, igniting speed, cutting costs and significantly increasing the volumes of trade in food and agricultural produce (particularly maize and rice across the sub-region from 20% to 30% by 2028). As part of the assessment process, public authorities and regulatory bodies across the sub-region - like Customs and Standards regulators, Chambers of Commerce, trade experts/practitioners and business advocacy groups, were surveyed for vital information to track national implementation of regional policies and regulations. Manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, cross-border traders, forwarding agents, logistics/shipping and transport companies also divulged some critical information.

ECOWAS’ investigative focus was on a range of cross border administrative protocols and processes like the extent and value of intra-regional imports and exports of agricultural goods and inputs, restrictions. Time spent, costs, prohibitions and documentation requirements, custom duties or other charges, as well as the quality of transport infrastructure and frequency of road inspections and checkpoints were all under scrutiny. The outcome of this assessment will further increase transparency and accountability of agricultural trade within the sub-region. The results of this year’s scores are expected to be released within the 3rd quarter of 2025, when each member country’s performance in enhancing or stifling cross-border trade would be out for all to see.

Ghana’s strategic Pitch

At the dawn of his second term, President Mahama embarked on a number of ‘Good Neighbourliness Tours’ aimed at reinforcing diplomatic and economic relations with Ghana’s neighbouring countries. During his visit to Mali, he highlighted the vital role that long-distance truck drivers play in the economies of both nations. He acknowledged the existing challenges faced by these transporters, including cumbersome customs procedures, roadblocks, delays at border crossings, and unofficial fees imposed along the route.  The President expressed his administration’s unwavering commitment to strengthening regional trade by ensuring that all barriers hindering the smooth transportation of goods between Ghana and Mali are removed. Similarly, in Burkina Faso, President Mahama announced ongoing discussions to introduce direct daily flights between Accra and Ouagadougou. This initiative aims to boost trade, connectivity and cross-border relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso, further strengthening bilateral ties. 

These moves from Ghana are indeed crucial for fostering intra-regional trade and economic growth and enhancing relations between Ghana and its neighbours.

Already, through World Bank funding, FSRP Ghana is upgrading facilities such as laboratories and offices belonging to the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at 4 border stations located at Paga, Hamile, Sampa and Aflao. The Project is also set to upgrade selected bulk markets – Bolga, Abofour, Ejura, Agogo and Denu - where substantial intra-regional trade in rice, maize, among others are carried out. These interventions would not only facilitate improvement in Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) activities but would also boost agricultural trade between Ghana and its neighbours.

Shadows of ECOMOG

‘FSRP Ghana’ believes that where trade and commerce fail to go, conflicts and hunger go! In the past, ECOWAS was primarily recognised for its peacekeeping activities within the subregion, particularly through the ECOWAS Cease-fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). Ghana has been pivotal in these efforts geared at fostering and entrenching regional peace and stability - through the contribution of troops, ammunition, intelligence, funding and sterling diplomacy. But now, marching forward, ECOWAS, the World Bank, Ghana and sister FSRP nations are taking up arms against hunger, climate perils and food insecurity. From the perspective of ‘FSRP Ghana’, ECOWAS-led peace-keeping efforts offered a platform for Ghana to showcase her GENERALS. In like manner, an ECOWAS-led campaign against food insecurity should produce ‘Generals-In-Agriculture’ for Ghana!

Incoming harvests from a Tomato production collaboration between the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) and FarmMate Ltd in the Upper East Region are meeting targeted yields of 240 tonnes in the first round.

This forms part of interventions by FSRP - under the Ministry of Food & Agriculture, to address the yearly nationwide incidence of tomato shortages and fluctuating prices, especially during the dry season. The scheme is being carried out through financial support from the Government of Norwegian and coordinated by the World Bank to revamp the Ghanaian tomato industry for year-round availability of the produce by way of dry season production.

FSRP’s value chain commodities (rice, maize, soya, tomatoes and broiler poultry) are produced using climate-smart agricultural practices and innovations. Under the programme, farmers are receiving inputs from FSRP in the form of smart seeds, agro chemicals like enhanced blended fertilizers with micronutrients, organic manure and pesticides (organic and inorganic) and extension advisory services. FarmMate on its part, is giving farmers close extension support, monitoring and immediate offtake of harvests.

From the farms, FSRP/FarmMate tomatoes are conveyed mostly to the Greater Accra Region, to major markets (like Agbogbloshi and CMB) and premium markets (like Palace Mall and Shoprite, within 24-36 hours.

The FSRP-FarmMate collaboration is geared at leveraging productive private sector linkages with farmers to optimise the production and facilitate timely off-take and marketing of tomatoes for the fresh and value addition (tomato puree) markets. The FSRP-FarmMate collaboration covers 200 acres across the country, 110 of which are in the Upper East Regions with about 100 farmers in the Zebila (in the Bawku West District), Pwalugu (in the Talensi District) and Tono Irrigation Scheme and Navrongo (in the Kasena Nankana District). The other locations are: Ningo-Prampram, Okere, Kwahu East, Akumadan Irrigation Scheme and Asunafo South districts.

Beyond the collaborations with FarmMate, the FSRP Tomato Support Programme is being carried out in 20 Districts in six (6) regions. It involves 1,500 farmers, of which 40% are women. So far, the intervention has resulted in yields of approximately 10Tons per hectare and at the end of the 2025 dry season. Yields are expected to reach 15 Tons per hectare. FSRP targets the production of 6000 Metric tonnes of tomatoes by the end of the intervention.

Tomatoes are an essential part of the Ghanaian diet, accounting for 40 percent of vegetable expenditures. However, only 34 percent of the 1.4 million tons of tomatoes consumed annually in Ghana are produced locally. This results in substantial imports (especially between Dec and May). Challenges that confront the local tomato industry include: the use of poor-quality seeds; the absence of seeds well adapted to local seasons and climate variabilities; pests & diseases control lapses; poor agronomic/farm practices; post-harvest losses (ranging from 20% to 60%); and the absence of innovative storage methods. All these leads to low average yields of 8.3 metric tons per hectare (instead of potential yields of 20 metric tons per hectare); leading to sharp fluctuations between glut/low prices (during peak season harvests) and shortages/dramatically high prices (during off-seasons).

The Ministry of Food & Agriculture, MoFA through the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) has released 150 motorbikes to Agric Extension Agents in 10 regions around the country. These are Northern, Ashanti, North-East, Upper East, Bono, Bono East, Eastern, Central, Greater Accra and Volta Regions. The motorbikes are the first batch of 500 motorbikes to be distributed by the ministry.

Commissioning the motorbikes, at the MoFA Projects Office, Cantonments, Accra, Hon. Eric Opoku Minister for Food & Agriculture & MP for Asunafo South re-iterated government's commitment to modernizing agriculture through logistics support and technology-driven extension delivery under the FEED GHANA programme. He announced that the 150 motorbikes were being presented to AEAs, with 30 specially designed to accommodate female extension officers, reflecting MoFA’s drive for gender inclusivity.

The Minister acknowledged the World Bank’s vital role in funding the initiative under FSRP and applauded their continued partnership in building a resilient agricultural sector. He further revealed that 41,355 Community Commodity Farmer Cooperatives have been formally registered and encouraged them to democratically elect leaders, open bank accounts, and submit details to their district and regional directors of agriculture to qualify for future support.

The Project Coordinator of FSRP, Mr. Osei Owusu Agyeman outlined the importance of equipping AEAs to ensure last-mile delivery of digital tools, climate-smart agricultural technologies and localized agro-advisory services to farmers. He highlighted FSRP’s pillars of “Sustainability, Ownership & Public-private Partnership” engagement to ensure that FSRP’s intervention thrive beyond the project.

Present to receive the motorbikes on behalf of the AEAs were Regional Directors from FSRP’s intervention areas: Upper East (Zalcana Fuseini), North-East (Edward Masara), Bono (Dela Newman), Bono East (James Adu), Eastern (Haija Habiba Yusuf), Central (Peter Omega), Greater Accra (Eric Hudson), Volta (William), Northern, Hawa Musa (Rep. Fatawu Abdul), Ashanti, Godfrey Acheampong ( Rep. Benjamin Ninoni).

Andrea Akl, Deputy General Manager of ‘Qualiplast’ threw light on some Qualiplast products that support the practice of climate-smart agriculture.

MOFA, through FSRP is driving the dissemination of timely, location-specific agro-meteorological information and advisories; as well as the promotion of technology access and exchange of technologies through the delivery of CSA technologies, nutrition- and gender-sensitive, land, and water management technology packages. The project is also coordinating activities towards the sharing of knowledge regarding post-harvest food handling practices and marketing linkages.

These are being carried out and facilitated through regular field visits, events, demonstrations and farmer field school by Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) in strategic locations around the country.

The West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) and Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC) have teamed up to promote local chicken consumption in Ghana to mark WIPVaC's 8th  anniversary.
The flagship event of this collaboration was held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 in Accra. It offered a festive atmosphere, with free tastings of tasty pieces of grilled chicken accompanied by kenkey and chilli, a promotional sale of fresh and frozen local chicken at knock-down prices, lively music, surprise guests and a variety of entertainment.
Created to bring together women active across the poultry value chain, WIPVaC brings together breeders, traders, distributors and processors of poultry products, as well as suppliers of maize, soya and day-old chicks. The organisation's ambition is to create economic opportunities for its members by strengthening their participation in the development of the poultry sector and stimulating inclusive and sustainable growth.
As part of the Poultry Intensification Programme (PIS), implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) with the support of the FSRP, WIPVaC members have benefited from in-kind credits (chicks, feed, vaccines) as well as technical training. Their first production cycle, launched last year, is now complete, ready to supply the market with quality local broilers.
"We are proud to have marked our 8ᵉ anniversary by honouring our work, and above all by raising the profile of local chicken, produced by dynamic and innovative women," stressed a WIPVaC manager.
This partnership is fully in line with the FSRP's objective of strengthening regional food security by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices (CSA), improving biosafety and fully integrating women into commercial value chains.
The FSRP has supported 60 poultry farmers in the Central, Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta and Ashanti regions, providing them with credit for 50,000 chicks, feed and vaccines. To date, 25,000 chicks have been distributed, enabling beneficiaries to complete their first broiler production cycle. 
During the ceremony, Mr John Dumelo, Ghana's Deputy Minister of Agriculture, stressed the need to develop an effective marketing strategy to improve the availability of local chicken on the market, in response to growing demand. He also spoke of plans to build modern processing facilities to strengthen the poultry value chain. 

The World Bank's Regional Vice-President for Africa, Ousmane Diagana, visited key agricultural sites in Ghana, including the Kpong irrigation system in Asutuare and the Kpong Left Bank irrigation system.

His visit on 13 January 2025 underlined the World Bank's commitment to supporting Ghana's agricultural transformation and promoting economic growth through sustainable agricultural practices.

The World Bank's involvement in the Ghana Agricultural Trade Project has yielded impressive results, with productivity reaching almost six tonnes per hectare, just short of the target of seven tonnes. These results demonstrate the transformative impact of the project on Ghana's agricultural sector.

During the discussions, Mr Diagana highlighted Ghana's strategic position as a regional hub, offering opportunities for collaboration with neighbouring countries such as Sierra Leone to improve agricultural productivity.

He highlighted the economic benefits of increasing local rice production to reduce dependence on imports. By focusing on local production, Ghana could channel funds into key sectors such as education and healthcare, while creating jobs across the agricultural value chain.

The World Bank has pledged to fill the financing gap of $30 million for the implementation of the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) to improve irrigation and agricultural productivity.

The World Bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting such initiatives, stressing the importance of ambitious targets and strong partnerships. Mr Diagana called for greater collaboration with the private sector to create an environment conducive to agricultural investment, which would stimulate job creation and strengthen economic resilience.

Mr Osei Owusu Agyeman, National Coordinator of the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP-Ghana), highlighted the initiatives underway under the FSRP, including the construction and renovation of veterinary laboratories in Dormaa Ahenkro and Accra, as well as laboratories and seed banks at CSIR facilities in Bunso, Kumasi and Tamale, designed to strengthen links between research and industry. In addition, warehouses, border posts and markets have been rehabilitated to strengthen regional trade capacities. 

The FSRP Ghana has a number of key achievements to its credit, including support for priority commodities such as maize, rice, soybeans, tomatoes and poultry; the promotion of climate-smart, youth- and gender-sensitive technologies; and the monitoring of pests and diseases to protect crops and livestock. The purchase of 20 automated weather stations for the Ghana Meteorological Agency is a key step towards providing local weather forecasts and climate information tailored to farmers. The PRSF's initiatives are based on the pillars of sustainability, ownership and public-private partnerships, all of which aim to strengthen Ghana's preparedness against food insecurity.

As part of the activities organised for National Farmers' Day (AGRIFEST 2024), the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP/PRSA) presented an original initiative entitled the "FSRP Chicken Road Show". This road show, initiated by Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), promoted locally produced broiler chicken, offering the public the opportunity to sample between 1,000 and 2,000 chickens free of charge during festivities organised at Efua Sutherland Park in Accra/Ghana.

In 2021, imports of chicken and chicken products into Ghana exceeded $300 million. To address this import dependency, MOFA and FSRP are implementing a Poultry Intensification Programme (PIS). With funding of 12.5 million dollars over five (5) years, this programme aims to revitalise the local broiler industry by supporting the production, processing and marketing of at least two million birds per year.

Through input credits, beneficiary farmers receive day-old chicks, feed and vaccines. They are also trained in modern best practices and climate-resilient technologies. Matching grants enable them to acquire equipment for processing and cold storage, essential elements for sustainable and competitive production.

In July 2024, 22 farmers from six (6) regions - Ashanti, Bono, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Eastern - were selected to join the programme. Since then, eight (8) of them have received: 360,500 day-old chicks, 911,000 doses of vaccines (including HBI, Lasota, Umboro 1 & 2) and 1,179 tonnes of feed.

These efforts, representing an investment of almost USD 830,000, have resulted in the production of around 400,000 chickens in just four months (up to the end of October 2024).

Chickens produced under the FSRP/PRSA are subject to rigorous inspections by control teams made up of representatives from the APD-MOFA, the Department of Veterinary Services and the FSRP/PRSA's social and environmental experts. These inspections ensure compliance with industry standards, particularly in terms of biosecurity, feed quality, vaccination protocols and general poultry health.

This travelling exhibition did more than just promote local chicken. It also highlighted the efforts of MOFA and FSRP/PRSA to develop sustainable, healthy and affordable poultry production. By tasting these grilled chickens on site, the public was able not only to appreciate their quality, but also to better understand the importance of supporting local producers.

With the support of the World Bank, this initiative symbolises Ghana's commitment to building a self-sufficient, sustainable and resilient poultry industry that benefits both producers and consumers.

In order to address the annual fluctuations in tomato prices in the country and to ensure the year-round availability of tomatoes in Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, through the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), deployed a combination of interventions in selected tomato production sites in the country, mainly in Northern Ghana. As part of this initiative, a number of practical field exercises were organised for technical agricultural managers.

Supported by a Norwegian grant of $2,274,300 and supervised by the World Bank, the project aims to reorganise the Ghanaian tomato industry with a view to dry-season production.

A total of 1,500 tomato growers will be supported by the FSRP's Norwegian tomato programme, with inputs and knowledge upgrading with a view to producing a total of 10,000 tonnes of tomatoes by February next year.

At Tono, in north-east Ghana, the practical training consisted of germination tests, the preparation of carbonised rice husks for biochar, the sterilisation of soil environments, the establishment of nurseries in trays and crates, the establishment of ground nurseries, the construction of anti-insect nets and soil solarisation.

Tomatoes are an essential part of the Ghanaian diet, accounting for 40% of expenditure on vegetables. However, only 34% of the 1.4 million tonnes of tomatoes consumed each year are produced locally, resulting in substantial imports (particularly between December and May).

The training of tomato growers and other players in the tomato value chain, which will be provided by the technical services of Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture, will enable growers to use quality seeds that are well adapted to local seasonal and climatic variations. This training will help to overcome the logistical problems associated with pest and disease control, limited extension services, and poor agronomic and farming practices that lead to low yields in tomato production. 

The West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) has mobilised 120 agricultural extension workers, 56 programme officers and 56 district directors of agriculture to disseminate and encourage environmental and social risk management (ESRM) practices among farmers in the southern, central and northern zones of FSRP project sites in Ghana. They also improved their knowledge of gender concepts and the analysis and handling of gender-related incidents.

The FSRP is required under the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Ghana's national environmental requirements to ensure that all project activities comply with the requirements of the framework by conducting all project activities in an environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable manner. Where there are gaps in any of the policies, the most stringent policy will be applied. In addition, to competently manage stakeholder expectations, the scope of the project must be sufficiently detailed for stakeholders to understand it.

Participants will in turn be responsible for guiding farmers to comply with the ESRM requirements and integrate gender dimensions into all project activities. They are also expected to play a monitoring role in this regard and alert the PRSF project implementation unit to respond in a timely manner to stakeholders' concerns regarding project activities.

To this end, participants were introduced to the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Labour Management Procedure (LMP), Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP), Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH).

The FSRP is expected to achieve a 40% inclusion rate of women in all project activities, in line with the gender strategy developed for the project. Ghana's gender action plan to achieve this goal requires that all implementing partners be trained to intentionally mainstream gender in all project sub-projects.

The session on gender, which covered basic gender concepts, gender analysis tools, the seasonal calendar, the daily activities table, the gender division of labour and extension advisory services, provoked emotional discussions among the participants, particularly on the stereotyped domestic roles of the two sexes.

The PRSP's environmental risk specialist, Emelda Adii, pointed out to participants that some stakeholders see projects as risk factors to be avoided and are therefore unwilling to participate in project activities. It is therefore necessary to involve them with clearer messages, in a transparent and regular manner, taking into account their fears and expectations.

The FSRP's social risk specialist, Adu Nyarko Andorful, pointed out that project sites cannot use bonded labour, such as prisoners, even if they are willing to do the work. He also pointed out that child labour is not permitted on project sites and that such cases must be reported to the FSRP. 

The World Bank's Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Robert Taliercio O'Brien, has praised the inner strength of farmers affected by this year's drought in northern Ghana and encouraged them to remain determined. He was visiting parts of northern Ghana to inspect sites of the FSRP (West Africa Food Systems Resilience Programme) project, where World Bank-funded projects are being implemented to increase the resilience of food systems in Ghana and the sub-region to climate-related agricultural crises.

During interactions with farmers and members of the media, Mr Obrien said that "as demoralising and heartbreaking as it may be, I am very motivated by the determination and resolve of the tireless farmers I have met, who are facing up to the situation and moving forward. I have come to deliver a single message: the World Bank stands with you in these difficult times and we pledge to continue to support Ghana and the sub-region to build and promote robust value chain systems to ensure that we emerge unscathed and even stronger during and after nature's unpredictable and inevitable trials."

Mr Obrien was pleased to learn that communities near the World Bank-funded irrigation sites had not been affected by the devastating effects of the recent drought, as the irrigation systems had enabled them to farm during the dry season. Working with the World Bank Ghana and FSRP teams, the Country Director inspected the Tono Irrigation Scheme facilities, which were rehabilitated with funding from the World Bank and the Ghanaian government under the former Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP). He inspected the dam wall, reservoir and spillway. At the water intake, he inspected the operation of the automation system used to open and close the valve that allows water to enter the main irrigation channel. In Zone B, he inspected the solar installation (including solar panels and solar pumps) that delivers the water to the farmland on the higher ground. They also drove through Zone A to observe farmers in their fields and chat with them. Mr Obrien then made a brief stop at the bifurcator, where the main canal divides into two canals, the Left Bank Canal (LBC) and the Right Bank Canal (RBC). They then crossed Zone C along the LBC to Lateral F14, where he spent some time chatting to farmers.

Mr Obrien emphasised that the World Bank and the Government of Ghana are ready to build on GCAP's achievements and strengthen them further through the PRSP. Key among these are the completion of work on the Vea Irrigation Scheme (VIS) and other interventions on the Tono Irrigation Scheme (TIS). Through the FSRP, the World Bank and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) are supporting production intensification by providing input credits to farmers in the scheme. Thanks to a Norwegian grant, farmers in Tono will receive inputs to grow 50 hectares of tomatoes using solar pumps in Zones B and O. The FSRP is continuing its on-farm demonstration activities to promote proven CSA (Climate Smart Agriculture) technologies in tomato cultivation and is setting up adaptive trials to assess the suitability of locally produced tomato seeds. Logistical support is also planned to facilitate the implementation of FSRP activities by agricultural extension agents.

Mr Robert Taliercio O'Brien assured the farmers that the World Bank would not be content simply to provide funds. "We will be with you on the ground, every step of the way, and we will not stop until our goal of credible food security is achieved".

Ms Ashwini Sebastian, Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank in Ghana and leader of the FSRP task team, said that irrigation is only one link in the agricultural value chain and does not alone achieve the expected quality and yields in food production. Other interventions in the value chain, including the adoption of innovative methods, the use of climate-smart seeds and other value-added interventions, need to be integrated; and this is exactly what the World Bank is looking to focus on and support in the future.