Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has launched a US$1 million revolving fund in partnership with Apex Bank.
The initiative aims to strengthen food systems, boost agricultural productivity, and enhance resilience across the northern regions of the country.
The agreement was signed in Accra and marks a significant step forward in the country’s agricultural transformation agenda – with support from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) and African Development Bank (AfDB).
The revolving fund is part of a broader US$20million GAFSP-supported initiative implemented by the African Development Bank, aimed at revitalising the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.
The project aligns squarely with Ghana’s Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) and the newly launched Feed Ghana Programme, representing a strategic effort to improve food security, enhance nutrition and empower vulnerable communities – particularly women and youth.
“This project is more than a financial intervention, it is a bold investment in the future of Ghana’s rural economy,” the minister declared.
“It is about building sustainable, climate-resilient food systems that uplift communities, empower women and create opportunity,” he added.
The initiative targets 50,000 smallholder farmers across 12 districts in six regions – Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah, North East and Oti – with at least 30,000 women among the direct beneficiaries.
Its integrated approach includes:
- Improved access to climate-smart agricultural inputs for staple crops including maize, rice, soybean, cowpea and groundnut;
- Expansion of agricultural mechanisation services using handheld equipment;
- Deployment of solar-powered micro-irrigation systems for off-season vegetable production;
- Promotion of household poultry production to enhance nutrition;
- Establishment of a US$1million revolving fund to provide accessible credit for agribusinesses and value chain actors at competitive rates.
The revolving fund, managed by ARB Apex Bank and disbursed through its network of Rural and Community Banks (RCBs), is designed to overcome one of the most persistent barriers to agricultural growth: access to affordable finance.
With a concessionary interest rate and flexible repayment terms, the fund will enable smallholder farmers and agribusinesses to access much-needed capital to scale their operations and invest in productivity-enhancing technologies.
“This fund could not have come at a better time,” the minister noted. “It directly responds to the needs of women farmers cultivating vegetables, legumes and grains, providing them with the tools and financing to grow their businesses and improve household livelihoods.”
This initiative is a reflection of the African Development Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy, which seeks to transform agriculture into a competitive and inclusive business sector capable of lifting millions out of poverty.
The bank’s support for this programme is also in line with its growing emphasis on supporting small-scale farmers, evidenced by the High-Level Conference on Financing Smallholder Farmers in Africa hosted by Nairobi during March 2025. There, bank president Dr. Akinwumi Adesina announced a US$500million facility to unlock up to US$10billion in agricultural lending, a clear commitment to financing smallholders and transforming food systems across the continent.
Furthermore, this project demonstrates the bank’s broader ambition to address fragility and build resilience in underserved agro-ecological zones. Northern Ghana, often impacted by climate variability, poverty and limited infrastructure, is one such region where coordinated investment can drive inclusive growth and lasting development outcomes.
The minister emphasised the importance of accountability and partnership, calling on all stakeholders to ensure the revolving fund is managed with the highest standards of integrity and impact.
“This is a shared responsibility,” he said. “We must work together to ensure this fund delivers real and measurable results for our farmers.”
As Ghana takes this bold step forward, it stands as a model for how governments, financial institutions and development partners can collaborate to finance rural transformation, empower women and youth and build a resilient agricultural sector fit for challenges of the 21st century.
