The Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) has opened the 2026 Ghana International Horticulture Expo with a call for increased production, value addition and export competitiveness to drive Ghana’s agricultural transformation.

The three-day expo, themed “From Soil to Sovereignty: Building Ghana’s Agricultural Self-reliance,” brings together farmers, processors, exporters, researchers, policymakers, financial institutions and other players across the horticulture value chain.

The event seeks to promote innovation and sustainable production while creating opportunities for trade, investment, knowledge sharing and partnerships within Ghana’s horticultural sector.

Delivering the welcome address at the opening ceremony on Thursday, September 3, President of FAGE, Davies Narh Korboe, said Ghana must move beyond the export of raw commodities and build an integrated agricultural value chain capable of generating jobs and retaining more value locally.

“The place is simple: we must produce what we consume, process what we produce, and export what the world is willing to buy. That is the bridge between agricultural self-reliance and economic sovereignty,” he said.

Mr Korboe said Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings exceeded $5 billion in 2025, describing the milestone as a foundation for the country to pursue a $10 billion target and go beyond.

He said horticulture could become one of the key drivers of that growth if challenges such as inadequate irrigation, expensive financing, post-harvest losses, weak cold-chain infrastructure, logistics costs and fragmented supply chains were addressed.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, who represented President John Dramani Mahama at the event, said the government’s decision to bring trade, agribusiness and industry under one ministry was aimed at creating a coordinated value chain from production to markets.

She said the government had established a dedicated Agribusiness Directorate and Cabinet had approved a national agribusiness policy, which seeks to address raw material supply, financing, value addition and market access.

“The journey from soil to sovereignty is about Ghana’s creating and retaining greater value from its own productive capacity. When agricultural production supplies industry, industry adds value, and Ghanaian businesses reach competitive markets, we create jobs, increase export earnings, and strengthen our economy,” Ms Ofosu-Adjare said.

Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur, noted that Ghanaian businesses secured significant export orders through international trade fairs and engagements in 2025.

“We need to support the initiative of the Minister to do things to feed the industry,” Mr Arthur said, stressing the need to ensure that local processors and exporters have access to adequate raw materials to meet international orders.

On his part, Chief Partnership Officer at the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat, Dr Ishmael Nii Amanor Dodoo said government is working with the Bank of Ghana to establish a $500 million facility to provide affordable and patient capital to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and manufacturers.

He said the facility is expected to support export-oriented businesses to expand production, invest in technology and increase their capacity to manufacture for both domestic and international markets.

The 2026 Ghana International Horticulture Expo features more than 200 exhibitors, over 50 expert speakers and an expected 5,000 trade visitors.

The expo will also focus on artificial intelligence and digital agriculture, climate-smart solutions, sustainable farming practices and the role of the 24-hour economy in expanding production.

The event, according to the organizers, is designed to serve as a marketplace where farmers can connect with buyers, entrepreneurs with investors, researchers with industry and businesses with new markets.

The expo is being organised in partnership with GEPA, with support from Ghana EXIM Bank, Fidelity Bank, GIRSAL, GIZ and other private-sector partners.