Businessman, Senyo Hosi says government’s support for Ghana’s agricultural sector is largely inadequate and unable to generate profitability for farmers and investors engaged in agribusiness.
With statistics from the agricultural ministry as a case in point, Mr Hosi was of the opinion that government has been inefficient in providing necessary support for the sector in the past years, as depending on data from the agric ministry has a tendency to “collapse businesses”.
Mr. Hosi, who is the chief executive of HGL Limited, an industrial rice plantation, and milling facility in Adaklu, was speaking at a young entrepreneurs’ breakfast summit organised as part of the ongoing Volta Trade and Investment Fair in Ho.
In his view, Ghana’s agricultural setup is such that entrepreneurs are more likely to make large amounts of returns in other aspects of the value chain rather than investing in crop and crop production.
“Our planning from policy does not help farmers to grow and farming will not thrive well with a peasant orientation,” Mr. Hosi said.
“It is commercial faming that will transform agriculture in our country. We must acknowledge that as a country and try to support people in doing so and leverage them to impact small-holder operatives and farmers.”
Mr. Hosi added that: “You will not really get the support you need in farming in Ghana, because real farming has not been figured out in this country. So don’t believe any hype from any politician; they do not understand and they have very little clue,”.
He advised the youth to venture into other areas of the agribusiness value chain, rather than aiming directly at crop production, and urged them to be cautious in their dealings.
“There is zero agronomic support for agricultural entrepreneurs and farmers, and so it is important that you start with the people who are making it work. Don’t think of trying to start making it work at a small level, because your capital may just get lost,” Mr. Hosi noted.
Themed “Promoting Sustainable Trade and Investments: The Youth in Focus”, the forum featured three interactive panel discussions, under finance, value addition and agribusiness.
According to the organisers, the combination of these topics was to provide the needed theoretical assistance to young entrepreneurs in developing new skills, simultaneously boosting their entrepreneurial spirit, and immersing them in a community of like-minded peers.
The summit had in attendance other personalities like the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa, Kenyan High Commissioner, Eliphas M. Barine, CEO of Kawa Mokka Coffee, Emi-Berth Quantson, Head of Research for Tesah Capital, Dr Eli Agbloyor and CEO of Glofert, Rev. Mawuli Benson and many others.
