Qatar has expressed interest in a deal with the Government of Ghana to support agricultural production. Addressing the media on Friday, August 29, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, revealed that Qatar plans to commit $1.5 billion to the agricultural sector by November.

As part of the agreement, Qatar is expected to obtain and irrigate Ghanaian farmlands and assign them to local farmers for crop cultivation. The produce will then be purchased by Qatar and exported to feed its population.

According to the Agriculture Minister, the project aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s Reset Agenda, which seeks to reduce the unemployment rate in the country. He noted that over two thousand five hundred (2,500) Ghanaians are expected to be employed and gain technical skills once the project is launched.

“$1.5 billion is going into food production. You know Qatar does not have the land to produce the food to feed its population. Now what they want to do with us is that they will make the funds available, they will secure land, irrigate the land, allocate the land to the farmers to produce the food and then they will buy the food and export to Qatar.

“Under that arrangement agriculture will be agribusiness. It will be a money-making venture and everybody will be interested in doing that. In fact, we are done with them and the assurance is that their German technical people will be in the country to start with the implementation right from November to December.

“In fact we are done with them, the assurance is that their German technical people will be in the country to start with the implementation right from November, December. So we are hopeful that as soon as that is put in place, we will create direct jobs of over 2,500 and it will contribute significantly to the development of our economy because it is going to reduce the importation of fertilizer into this country,” he noted.

Ghana has recorded a decline in its poverty rate from 26.4 percent in 2023 to 25.9 percent in 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF reported that the Ghanaian population living in extreme poverty is measured at the international poverty line of $2.15 per day.

The improved growth recorded last year, particularly in services and agriculture, together with continued efforts to expand the country’s social protection programmes, contributed to the drop in poverty. This included the four highly targeted initiatives covered by programme conditionality: the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Capitation Grant, and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The Fund, in its 4th Review Under the Economic Credit Facility Arrangement with Ghana, stated that government is redoubling efforts to expand social spending and shorten delays in releasing budgeted funds to beneficiaries.

According to the IMF, going forward, “staying the course of macroeconomic policy adjustment and reforms is essential to fully and durably restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, while fostering a sustainable increase in economic growth and poverty reduction.”

In April, President Mahama launched the ‘Feed Ghana Programme’ as a key component of his plan to strengthen Ghana’s economy through farming. At the launch in Techiman on Saturday, April 12, the President emphasized that making farming central to Ghana’s progress can only be achieved through stringent agricultural policies.

“Mr. Chairman, the time has come for bold and decisive actions. We must no longer treat agriculture as an afterthought. Agriculture must be placed at the center of our national economic transformation,” he stated.

He explained that the Feed Ghana Programme is only the beginning of a broader plan called the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA). This initiative seeks to modernize farming, create jobs, reduce food prices, and ensure consistent food security.

President Mahama added that the programme would serve as the main framework guiding all agricultural projects and initiatives. He said it focuses on boosting food production, encouraging modern farming methods, improving farm infrastructure, and developing agro-industrial areas nationwide. According to him, the Feed Ghana Programme demonstrates his government’s seriousness about prioritizing farming and investing in it.

“It represents a bold commitment to put our resources where our ambitions lie,” he concluded.

Earlier in August, Ghanaian entrepreneur and investor Richard Nii Amarh Quaye launched the RNAQ Food Bank initiative, the flagship project of the RNAQ Foundation. The initiative is aimed at combating food insecurity and empowering vulnerable communities across Ghana.

According to the foundation, the RNAQ Food Bank will partner with local food vendors to establish accessible food distribution hubs across the country. During the launch event on Friday, August 1, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, the founder, Richard Nii Amarh Quaye, shared a heartfelt reflection on the inspiration behind the project in his keynote address.

“I stand before you as a man who remembers what it feels like to be hungry, not just for food, but for hope, for dignity, and for change. Today, we launched the RNAQ Food Bank. But this is not just about food. This is about justice. It’s about dignity. It’s about telling every Ghanaian… that you also matter.”

He further mentioned that the initiative would begin with five food bank locations in Greater Accra — Korle-Gonno, Kasoa, Ashaiman, Odorkor, and Madina — with plans to expand nationwide.

“These food banks will open every single day, and through them, thousands of people will be fed daily. This is not charity. This is nation-building. This is how we create the Ghana we’ve all been dreaming of, one plate at a time,” he added.

This vision has earned Richard Nii Amarh Quaye applause and strong support from the government. Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Abdulai Ayariga, commended the initiative, describing it as a much-needed response to the growing food challenges facing young people and children.

“This food bank offers relief and hope. It is not just charity; it is impactful, and it will touch generations. In Ghana alone, 3.6 million students, about 11.7% of our population, struggle with access to sufficient food, with risk levels exceeding 30% in many northern districts,” Mr. Ayariga said.