Ghana has launched a US$1 million revolving fund dedicated to agricultural development in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone to strengthen food security and uplift smallholder farmers in the north.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, was officially unveiled at a ceremony in Accra. The fund was established in partnership with ARB Apex Bank and forms part of a broader US$20 million grant secured from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), with additional support from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

At the launch, Minister Opoku hailed the programme as a transformative intervention in Ghana’s agricultural landscape, especially in underserved northern districts. He also acknowledged the pivotal role of development partners in advancing food systems that are both sustainable and inclusive.

“This initiative is not merely about financial assistance; it is about building sustainable and resilient food systems that will uplift the livelihoods of our communities,” he said.

The project targets 12 districts across six regions and is set to benefit thousands of smallholder farmers, with a strong emphasis on empowering women and young people, who often face the harshest effects of food insecurity.

Core aspects of the programme include:

Supplying climate-smart inputs for staple crops like maize, rice, soybean, cowpea, and groundnuts.

Enhancing access to mechanization via handheld agricultural equipment.

Distributing solar-powered micro-irrigation kits to support year-round vegetable farming.

Encouraging household poultry farming to improve nutritional intake.

Deploying the US$1 million revolving fund to extend affordable financial services across the agricultural value chain.

The revolving fund is expected to deliver accessible capital at competitive interest rates, enabling farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to expand operations, boost productivity, and withstand the growing pressures of climate change.