Ghana’s Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has held what he described as a “highly productive” meeting with the Regional Vice President for Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Ethiopis Tafara, to explore new opportunities for deepening cooperation in support of Ghana’s development agenda — with a strong focus on the agricultural sector.

The discussions centred on strategic investments to transform Ghana’s agriculture into a major driver of jobs, industrialisation, and export-led growth.

Dr. Forson disclosed that the government is in the final stages of developing a comprehensive Oil Palm Plantation Policy, which will be presented in the 2026 Budget.

The policy, he noted, forms part of a broader national strategy to promote economic crops and position agriculture as a central pillar of Ghana’s structural transformation.

“The potential is enormous,” Dr. Forson said. “With the right investment and partnerships, Ghana can create over 500,000 jobs across the value chain — from cultivation and processing to manufacturing and exports — through the development of these strategic crops.”

 

He emphasised that such large-scale transformation would require patient capital and sustained investment.

The Ministry of Finance, he said, is working closely with the World Bank, IFC, and other development partners to mobilise financing and attract private sector participation in agriculture and agro-industrial ventures.

Dr. Forson highlighted that Ghana’s long-term vision is to harness the power of agriculture to deliver inclusive economic growth, strengthen food security, and diversify exports, while generating meaningful employment opportunities for the youth.

“Ghana is ready to move,” he affirmed. “Together with our partners, we will place economic crops at the heart of our nation’s transformation agenda.”

The IFC, the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, has been a key partner in supporting Ghana’s private sector through investments in finance, energy, manufacturing, and agribusiness.