Ghana’s agricultural sector continues to face headwinds, from fluctuating global prices to unpredictable weather patterns. However, according to William Nettey, Head of Agribusiness at Absa Bank Ghana, agriculture remains one of the country’s most promising and bankable sectors.
Speaking during the 2025 Citi Business Festival, sponsored by Absa Bank, Mr. Nettey made a strong case for structured agricultural financing. He emphasised that banks are not merely lenders, but development partners committed to enabling growth across the entire agricultural value chain. “Challenges will always exist, but so will solutions. At Absa Bank, our commitment is to help change stories and create opportunities where it matters most,” he stated.
Reflecting on developments in the sector over the past year, Mr. Nettey described a mixed picture. Commodity price volatility affected producers of crops such as soya and maize, while a prolonged dry spell led to lower yields and increased reliance on imports. Even so, he cautioned against writing the sector off. “We have seen both wins and losses. The challenge is not in whether agriculture is viable, but in how we plan for its risks,” he noted. “Absa Bank does not focus solely on producers. We finance the full agricultural value chain, from input suppliers to processors and exporters.”
According to Mr. Nettey, this includes aggregators who consolidate outputs from smallholder farmers, a group that forms the backbone of Ghana’s farming economy. Through partnerships with value chain actors, including input dealers and logistics providers, the bank expands its reach to underserved communities.
Absa Bank’s Agribusiness strategy is intentionally inclusive, with dedicated support for women, young entrepreneurs, and agribusinesses operating in northern Ghana. Over the past five years, the bank has disbursed more than GH¢130 million in financing to women-led and youth-led enterprises.
While agricultural lending is often perceived as high-risk, Mr. Nettey challenged that assumption. “Agriculture is not as risky as people think. With proper understanding and timing, we have had very low defaults investing in farming.” He illustrated this point with the story of a client who began with a facility of GH¢200,000 and has since expanded their operations to qualify for more than GH¢8 million in financing from the bank.
Even where challenges arise, such as global price shifts or currency fluctuations, the bank adopts a proactive approach. Mr. Nettey explained that Absa Bank closely monitors its agribusiness clients and is prepared to restructure facilities when necessary to support continuity.
Documentation, he added, remains a persistent barrier to finance. Many agribusiness owners concentrate on operations while neglecting record-keeping. In response, Absa Bank partners with clients to improve financial documentation and deploys business advisers to help them strengthen their operations and scale sustainably. For Mr. Nettey, the message to agribusiness entrepreneurs is simple: agriculture is bankable, but only when approached with structure, strategy, and strong partnerships.
