President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major scale-up of Ghana’s agricultural modernisation efforts with the launch of the Vegetable Development Project, an initiative integrated into the government’s Feed Ghana 2025–2028 Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Speaking at the ceremony in Kukum, the president said the project would be replicated across the country, particularly in northern Ghana where water scarcity poses significant challenges for year-round farming. He emphasised that the initiative formed part of a broader strategy to restore food security, strengthen agro-industrial productivity, and build a resilient, technology-driven agricultural economy.

According to President Mahama, the government was expanding the production of key commodities including rice, maize, soya beans, vegetables, cassava, poultry, and cashew. As part of this effort, farmer service centres are being established to provide mechanisation services, input supply, equipment repairs, and extension support. Irrigation infrastructure is also being modernised and expanded nationwide.

The president highlighted additional interventions such as the development of commodity-focused cooperatives to support smallholders, targeted programmes for youth and women including backyard poultry initiatives, and measures to improve storage, marketing, and agro-processing capacity to reduce post-harvest losses. He noted that enhanced market linkages — through institutional off-takers, processors, hospitality industry actors, and supermarket chains — would help stabilise incomes for farmers.

Through these interventions, President Mahama said government aimed to lay the foundation for a 24-hour agricultural economy powered by technology, efficient markets, and continuous production cycles. He underscored the high potential of the vegetable sub-sector, describing it as labour-intensive, fast-maturing, profitable, and essential for improved nutrition.

Under the Vegetable Development Programme, locally referred to as Y3re Dua, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture will introduce climate-smart technologies, improved seed varieties, sustainable irrigation techniques, guaranteed off-take arrangements, cold chain and packhouse infrastructure, and capacity-building programmes tailored for women-led businesses and young entrepreneurs. Linkages to processing industries will also be strengthened to promote value addition.

President Mahama commended the Haifa Region for its leadership in agricultural innovation, particularly in horticulture and commercial-scale production. He noted that the solar-powered irrigation facilities being established in Kukum will boost dry-season farming, expand cooperative activities, supply markets across the country, create employment for young people, and increase household incomes.

He expressed gratitude to farmers, the minister for food and agriculture, development partners, private sector actors, and Farm Mate Ghana for their contributions to the country’s agricultural transformation.

The president reaffirmed government’s dedication to expanding infrastructure, supporting smallholder and commercial farmers, strengthening storage and market systems, and building a resilient, inclusive agricultural sector driven by technology and value addition.

“With discipline, unity and a shared sense of purpose, we will feed Ghana, we will grow Ghana, and we will transform Ghana,” he said.

President Mahama then formally declared the Vegetable Development Project launched.