Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy policy, Goosie Tanoh, has outlined a comprehensive vision for Grow 24, a major pillar of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy strategy aimed at modernising and expanding the agricultural sector.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, July 3, Mr. Tanoh explained that Grow 24 will transform agriculture through advanced technology, climate-smart practices, and improved infrastructure — enabling continuous production and value addition.
Farmers face numerous challenges — limited access to fertiliser, mechanisation shortfalls, poor farm maintenance, and insufficient extension services, he said. Grow 24 is designed to overcome these barriers.
He added that extensive consultations with farmers, industry players, and state agencies made it clear that some key needs must be addressed first: secure land titles, reliable irrigation for year-round farming, digital connectivity, and good roads to ensure easy access to markets.
He emphasised that better logistics would reduce post-harvest losses and transport costs, helping to attract private investors.
Grow 24 is built around three pillars: modernising production to improve yields; improving supply chains through transport, storage, and logistics; and developing human capital by training skilled, disciplined, and ready farmworkers.
Without discipline and a robust work ethic, we cannot compete with dynamic Asian economies, Mr. Tanoh said. That’s why training and mindset development are essential.
He said tax relief, access to credit and equity, skilled labour, and incentives for targeted value chains would attract young people and industrial farmers alike.
What do I want as a farmer? Lower taxes, access to financing, skilled workers, and dependable infrastructure — water, power, land. That’s what Grow 24 is bringing.
The Volta Lake corridor is a key part of the plan. He noted that around 4 million hectares of arable land exist in the area after subtracting forest reserves — offering vast potential for agricultural development.
The government intends to develop agro-ecological parks along the corridor, working with large-scale “anchor” farmers who will support and integrate smallholders through cooperative models. These anchor farmers will offer machinery, extension support, and access to technology and inputs.
Through this private service centre model, farmers can rent equipment and services, reducing costs and risk. The Ghana Infrastructure Fund (GIF) will oversee land access and provide irrigation and energy in partnership with the Volta River Authority.
Anchor farmers will also serve as conduits for input credit to the smallholders they work with, he explained. Smallholders produce 90 percent of our food. We cannot ignore them. Through anchor partnerships, we will formalise and scale their efforts, provide skills and financing access.
Mr. Tanoh stressed that Grow 24 is not just an agriculture programme — it is an economic transformation tool to create jobs, boost food security, increase exports, and raise incomes.
By aligning infrastructure, finance, and policy, Grow 24 will unlock Ghana’s full agricultural potential and prepare the sector to compete globally.
