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The Bank of Ghana is set to establish a GH¢2 billion price stabilisation fund aimed at reducing volatility in key agricultural commodities, including cocoa, maize, shea, and groundnuts, as part of broader efforts to stabilise the economy.
Approved by the central bank’s governing board, the fund will be deployed during periods of sharp price increases to cushion consumers and ease inflationary pressures.
The initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Commodity Exchange and the National Buffer Stock Company. It is expected to improve liquidity for farmers, provide guarantees for aggregators, and support more structured and transparent commodity trading.
Speaking at the National Market Actors’ Forum in Tamale, a representative of the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, Augustine Goosie Tanoh, said the fund forms part of wider measures to restore macroeconomic stability.
Also addressing the forum, Abdul-Nasser Alidu, Head of Strategy and Programmes at the Secretariat, highlighted ongoing economic challenges, including high fiscal deficits, rising public debt, inflationary pressures, and currency depreciation.
He noted that the 24-hour economy programme is designed to address these issues while tackling food price volatility—one of the primary drivers of inflation in Ghana.
“The programme’s essence is to reduce fluctuations in food pricing, as a significant portion of inflation is food-driven,” he said, stressing the importance of stabilising food costs to support broader economic recovery.
The forum, organised by World Vision Ghana under its THRIVE 2030 Project, brought together key stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, including producers, processors, investors, and policymakers. The initiative aims to strengthen market linkages, improve pricing transparency, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance incomes for smallholder farmers.
Funded in partnership with the Ghana Commodity Exchange and VisionFund, the THRIVE 2030 programme aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on poverty reduction, gender equality, and decent work.
Meanwhile, Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening agricultural infrastructure and boosting industrialisation.
He identified infrastructure gaps as a major constraint and outlined ongoing investments in feeder roads, storage facilities, irrigation systems, and power supply for agro-processing. These interventions, he noted, are critical to reducing post-harvest losses, enabling value addition, and attracting private-sector investment.
Dr. Otokunor also revealed plans to introduce a digital out-grower system, which will provide farmers with access to inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, and mechanisation services on credit, with repayment structured post-harvest. The system will incorporate data-driven traceability to enhance transparency and support smallholder participation in formal markets.
He added that aggregation centres, digital trading platforms, and integrated commodity networks will be developed to connect producers directly with buyers, improving price discovery and reducing inefficiencies.
With smallholder farmers accounting for the vast majority of agricultural production, he emphasised the need for expanded farmer support services and stronger private-sector involvement in input distribution.
He concluded by calling for sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors to unlock the full potential of Ghana’s agricultural value chains and drive inclusive economic growth.
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