Ghana’s tree crops sector is set for a major expansion after President John Dramani Mahama committed $500 million to develop 100,000 hectares of new oil palm plantations, a move expected to create 250,000 jobs and anchor a broader push to diversify the economy beyond cocoa.
Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Andy Osei Okrah, said the investment forms part of a wider strategy to reposition six selected crops — cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango and shea — as the next drivers of agricultural growth.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (26 February), Okrah described the funding pledge as a “clear policy commitment,” adding that government was already working with development partners and international financiers to mobilise the capital.
“That alone tells you the money is there,” he said. “Oil palm will lead, but all the crops have strong commercial potential.”
The TCDA estimates the six crops could collectively generate up to $12 billion annually in export earnings if each delivers around $2 billion through increased production and value addition.
Currently, Ghana earns roughly $750 million from the tree crops segment, a fraction of the estimated $230 billion global market.
Okrah said the recent investment summit had already triggered fresh investor commitments, with private players offering land and capital injections running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
He stressed that the new approach prioritises transparency and accountability, with all government-supported seedling distributions, grants and farmer assistance to be publicly tracked.
“This is not a talk show. This is an impact investment drive,” he said.
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