IFAD, Ghana, and the World Bank team up under the AgriConnect Compact to modernize agriculture and food systems.

At today’s launch of the Ghana AgriConnect Compact, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) reaffirmed its commitment to partner with the Government of Ghana, the World Bank, and other development partners to accelerate the transformation of the country’s agri-food systems and drive inclusive economic growth.

This flagship initiative sets out an ambitious, private sector-led and government-enabled approach to position agriculture as a central driver of economic transformation, job creation and resilience.

“Through AgriConnect, IFAD is deepening its commitment to end rural poverty and build resilient, inclusive food systems in Ghana. Together with partners, we are scaling investments that deliver jobs, opportunity and lasting impact for rural communities,” said Lakshmi Moola, IFAD Country Director for Ghana.

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy, contributing about 22 per cent of GDP, 24 per cent of export earnings, and employing around 38 per cent of the workforce. However, the sector continues to face structural challenges, including limited access to finance for smallholder farmers and rural enterprises, low productivity, climate variability, and weak integration into markets.

The Compact will prioritize transformation across key agricultural value chains including cocoa, oil palm, rice, maize and poultry, alongside other important sectors such as tree crops, fisheries and the forest economy. By 2030, the initiative aims to improve food and nutrition security for nearly three million people and create more than 2.6 million jobs across production, processing, aggregation and marketing activities.

IFAD’s participation in AgriConnect builds on the Fund’s ongoing portfolio in Ghana, which includes the Promoting Rural Opportunities, Sustainable Profits and Environmental Resilience (PROSPER) programme, the Affordable Agricultural Financing for Resilient Rural Development (AAFORD) project, and will soon include co-financing for the World Bank’s Food Systems Resilience Programme, all of which support smallholder farmers, rural enterprises and value chain development.

IFAD has a long-standing partnership with Ghana, focusing on increasing agricultural productivity, strengthening resilience to climate change and improving livelihoods for rural populations. Through its support to farmer organizations, access to finance and market linkages, IFAD continues to play a key role in advancing inclusive rural transformation in the country.