Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Advisor and Special Aide to the President
The government has earmarked $200million investment for the diversification of the tree crop development project for this year, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Advisor and Special Aide to the President, John Dramani Mahama, has announced.
The investment, she emphasised, was aimed at creating employment, expanding markets and strengthening value addition along the agricultural value chain.
Mogtari said this at the maiden Tree Crop Excellence Awards in Accra on Friday.
She explained that the initiative formed part of broader efforts to reposition agriculture as a key driver of the country’s economic transformation, stressing that sustained investment and value addition were critical to job creation and industrial growth.
The ceremony, held as a sequel to the maiden Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition in Accra, saw more than 30 individuals and organisations honoured for their contributions towards the development of tree crops in the country.
Mogtari said Ghana was at the threshold of a historic economic rebirth, largely dependent on the country’s ability to invest in agriculture, modernise production systems, improve marketing and promote value addition.
She explained that the creation of the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry underscored government’s resolve to integrate agriculture with industrialisation, export development and job creation.
Commending innovation within the sector, she praised the organisers of the summit, led by Andy Okra, for introducing new approaches that had attracted the interest of both local and international investors.
Moreover, Mogtari noted that improved macroeconomic conditions, including currency stability, fiscal discipline and policy consistency, had enhanced investor confidence and positioned Ghana for economic takeoff.
She also welcomed the passage of the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill, expressing the hope that it would boost industrial productivity and support agribusinesses to produce globally competitive goods for local consumption and export.
In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Andy Okra described the Tree Crop Excellence Awards as a strategic initiative to promote excellence, competitiveness and sustained investment in Ghana’s tree crop sector.
He said the awards scheme was created to recognise individuals and institutions whose innovation, dedication and investments continue to shape the growth and transformation of the industry across the entire value chain, from production and processing to export development and sustainability.
According to him, the initiative aligned with the government’s broader reset agenda, under which the tree crop sector had been identified as a priority area for economic growth, job creation and value addition, with strong backing from President John Dramani Mahama.
Okra further explained that award recipients were selected through a rigorous evaluation process that assessed measurable impact in areas such as job creation, innovation, governance and community development, adding that the strong participation of women and youth was particularly encouraging.
He said, in addition to the competitive categories, honorary awards would be conferred on distinguished pioneers and contributors whose leadership and vision laid the foundation for the development of Ghana’s tree crop industry.
The CEO again highlighted that the sector was anchored on six priority crops—cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango and shea collectively referred to as “seacorns,” stressing that the future of Ghana’s agriculture extended beyond cocoa and rested on the sustainable development of these tree crops under the leadership of the Tree Crops Development Authority.
Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
