Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is the government agency responsible for the development and growth of agriculture in the country. The jurisdiction does not cover the cocoa, coffee, or forestry sectors. The primary organisation and main area of the presidential administration of Ghana is the nation's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), which is in charge of creating and carrying out policies and plans for the agricultural sector within the framework of an efficient national socio-economic development and prosperity agenda. The Ministry's plans and programmes are created, coordinated, and put into effect using frameworks for policy and strategy using a sector-wide approach. The Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy II (FASDEP II) and the Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP 2010–2015) were both developed with the aid of MOFA in relation to this.

Structure of MOFA The ministry is headed by the Minister for Agriculture and his three deputies. The deputies are in charge of the following:

The Minister's Office Deputy Minister in charge of Fisheries Deputy Minister in charge of Crops Deputy Minister in charge of Livestock The Line DIrectorates The Technical Directorates Sub-vented Organizations and State Owned Enterprises Councils and Commissions The Regional Directorates The District Directorates

+Position NameMinistry of food and AgricultureHonorable Eric Opoku Ag. Chief DirectorMr. Paul Siameh +Line Directorates DirectorHuman Resource Development and Management Directorates Madam Esther NuotuoFinance and Administrative DirectorateMr. Gilbert AmpehStatistics Research and Information DirectorateMr. James AyitteyPolicy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation DirectorateMadam Josephine Ivy QuagrainieProcurement and Supply Chain DirectorateMadam Doris Vaayi Yenawaa

+Technical Directorates DirectorsAnimal Production DirectoratesMr. Jonas Asare BerchieVeterinary Service DirectorateDr. Emmanuel Allegye CoudjoeWomen in Agriculture Development Madam Paulina AbbeyPlant Protection Regulatory Service DirectorateDr Eric QuayeAgriculture Engineering Service Directorates Ing. Patrick Ohene Kumi AboagyeAgriculture Extension ServicesProspera Anku Directorate of Crop Services Dr. Solomon Gyan Ansah Financial ControllerMr. Emmanuel Adusei +Sub Vented Organizations Heads Ghana Irrigation Development AuthorityIng Wilson DarkwahGrains and Legumes Development BoardDr. Robert. A. Asuboah Irrigation Company of Upper Region Alhaji Issah .A. Bukari National Food Buffer Stock CompanyIng. Wilson Darkwah

Council The veterinary council advises the Hon. Minister on issues of veterinary service delivery and organization. The chairman of the council is Dr. Kwame O. Jyening

Heads of Regional Directorates +RegionPositionNameahafoDirectorKingsford Nyameashanti DirectorRev. John ManebonoDirectorRichard Assan Donkorbono east DirectorCecilia Kagya- Agyemancentral DirectorSamuel Abrahameastern DirectorMr Henry .K. Crenstil Juniorgreater accraDirectorMargaret Sumahnorthern DirectorHawah Musahnorthern eastDirectorHawah Musahupper east DirectorFrancis Ennorupper westDirectorEmmanuel Sasu YeboahwesternDirectorS.Y. Apiigawestern north DirectorWilliam .H. Fordjourvolta DirectorMr. Delali NutsukpootiDirectorObrien NyarkosavannahDirectorMr. Eric Hudson Asamani

Functions of MOFA The ministry's roles include the following: Formulation of appropriate agricultural policies to aid the agricultural sector. Planning and coordination of various development projects in the agricultural sector. Monitoring and evaluation of the projects and programmes instituted to assess their progress.

Vision The Ministry's intent is an industrialised agriculture that leads to a systemically altered economy that manifests in increased food security, employment prospects, and lower poverty rates.

Mission

The mission of MOFA is aimed at helping producers, processors, and merchants in their efforts to enhance their standard of living by advancing technological advancements and research, providing efficient extension services, and providing other forms of support.

Mandate The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) leads Ghana's agricultural sector, developing and implementing policies to support national socio-economic growth. MOFA coordinates plans and programs through strategic frameworks, including the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (FASDEP II) and the Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP 2010-15).

Objectives Agriculture in Ghana is recognised as the mainstay of the economy and has a greater impact on poverty reduction than other sectors. It is also critical for rural development and associated cultural values, social stabilisation, environmental sustainability, and buffering during economic shocks. Based on the role of agriculture in the national development framework, the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (FASDEP II) has the following objectives:

Food security and emergency preparedness Improved growth in incomes Increased competitiveness and enhanced integration into domestic and international markets Sustainable management of land and environment Application of Science and Technology in food and agriculture development Improved institutional Coordination

Strategies

By calculating the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Development Plan (METASIP 2010 - 2015), Ghana's farming tactics sum up the government's strategic structure and implementation strategies for achieving self-sufficient growth in all agricultural sub-sectors. This provides a means for maximising agriculture and combining rural growth with structural transformation for the socio-economic development of Ghana.

The Five Main Subsectors Of the Agriculture Sector

Crops: Cereals and Starchy Crops

Livestock Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Poultry, Pigs

Fisheries: Marine, Inland and Aquaculture

Forestry

Cocoa

However, Ghana Cocoa Board under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is responsible for cocoa affairs in the country.

The Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources has responsibility for the Forestry Commission, while the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development is responsible for the fisheries sub sector.

Departments and agencies

DP Membership – Agric Sector working Group

African Development Bank (AfDB) Agence française de développement (AFD – France) Alliance for Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA) Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Engineers Without Borders (EWB) The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO) German Development Cooperation (GIZ-KfW) International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) Japan International Research Centre for Agricultural Science (JIRCAS) Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) United States Agency for International Development (USAID) World Bank (WB) World Food Programme (WFP)

Projects Of The Ministry Of Food And Agriculture PFJ (Planting For Foods And Jobs): This is a five-year contract that is made to increase the production of crops in Ghana and decrease the importation of food. This project is also meant to provide job opportunities for the youth of the country. A training workshop was organized in collaboration with the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana in 2021 for the PFJ implementation guidelines for farmers. The Ghana Peri-urban Vegetables Value Chain Project (GPVVCP) operates as a subsidiary initiative under the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP). It is financially supported by a $2.85 million grant from the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) through a Trust Fund Arrangement with the World Bank. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), specifically its Directorate of Crop Services (DCS), is responsible for project implementation, with managerial and coordination assistance from GCAP and technical guidance on irrigation from the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA). Project Objective: The project aligns closely with the Government of Ghana's strategy to alleviate poverty by enhancing food security through increased vegetable production and market access for both domestic consumption and exports. It is also in harmony with JSDF's aim to empower and uplift the lives of the most underprivileged and vulnerable segments of society. Furthermore, it is rooted in the World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy, which supports Ghana's Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) and the Government's Agenda for Prosperity. The central objective of the project is to enhance the productivity and market access for vegetable farmers residing in selected peri-urban communities in Ghana. To achieve this, the project will: Promote water harvesting and small-scale irrigation schemes to enable year-round vegetable production and consumption. Enhance the capacity of resource-poor farmers and provide support to elevate their productivity and produce quality. Decrease post-harvest losses through the establishment of efficient post-harvest handling practices. Facilitate access to high-value markets to ensure improved income levels for the farmers. In essence, the GPVVCP seeks to boost the livelihoods of peri-urban vegetable farmers in Ghana by enhancing their productivity, product quality, and market accessibility while reducing post-harvest losses. The Savannah Zone Agricultural Productivity Improvement Project, with a total cost of US$56.32 Million, was launched in May 2018 to support the Ghanaian government's efforts within the framework of the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSODA-II 2014–2017). The project is aligned with the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) Campaign and aims to stimulate innovation in agricultural production by enhancing skills and technological capabilities. This initiative aims to uplift farmers from low-productivity agriculture to more productive activities, thereby creating jobs, reducing poverty, increasing incomes, and improving social equity. The project has a duration of five years, spanning from 2018 to 2022. By the end of this period, it intends to directly benefit 50,000 individuals and reach 250,000 farmers across the country through the PFJ's input subsidy program. Importantly, at least 50% of the beneficiaries will be women and youth. Project Objectives: The overarching development objective of the project is to transform agricultural value chains in the Savannah Zone, with specific objectives that include: Increasing food and nutrition security among farmers. Raising incomes by enhancing agricultural productivity and diversification. Facilitating the establishment and strengthening of agribusinesses to sustainably increase incomes for participants along selected value chains.