
As Africa grapples with food insecurity, global market volatility, and the intensifying effects of climate change, Africa must find sustainable ways to feed itself. With donor landscapes shifting, our future lies not in dependency but in self-determination. For Ghana and the continent at large, the most effective response to today’s challenges is sustained investment in resilient, inclusive, and locally driven food systems.
Ghana’s own experience is proof that investing in local ecosystems, rather than relying on emergency imports or fragmented aid, yields scalable, sustainable, and transformative results. It is a strategy that empowers farmers, strengthens markets, and builds the resilience needed to thrive in an uncertain world. Over the past decade, Ghana has shown how a systems approach to dealing with food insecurity challenges that involves connecting science, seed, markets, and local leadership, can deliver lasting agricultural impact. AGRA Ghana has been at the center of this.
One compelling example is Antika Company Limited, once a modest grain distributor in northern Ghana. Thanks to a catalytic partnership with AGRA, Antika has transformed into one of the country’s largest local seed companies, producing over 3,000 metric tonnes annually, offering mechanization services, and operating a farmer input credit scheme that now supports more than 6,000 smallholders.
“Prior to AGRA, we had no knowledge in hybrid seed production. Thanks to AGRA introducing us to numerous activities and initiatives, we now have diverse knowledge in hybrid seed production. Today, we are one of the few companies in Ghana producing hybrid seeds. We have also received extensive training and participated in exchange programs in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and recently in Uganda,” said Seidu Mubarak, General Manager and Deputy Managing Director of Antika Company Limited.
“These opportunities have allowed us to interact with key stakeholders in the seed value chain, influence policy changes, and enhance our operations. The collaboration with AGRA has significantly boosted Antika’s recognition. We currently serve on the National Seed Council of Ghana, representing the private sector in seed policies and issues. This recognition highlights AGRA’s positive impact on our company,” he added.
Science has also played a central role. The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), with AGRA’s support, has developed Aburo Legon, which is a climate-resilient hybrid maize variety tailored for Ghanaian farmers. In regions like the Upper East and Upper West, where erratic rainfall once threatened livelihoods, Aburo Legon has helped farmers like Stephen Fuseini and Evelyn Asugboro double their yields and secure more stable futures.
Aburo Legon offers yields as high as 9 to 11 tons per hectare. The variety is early maturing and drought-tolerant, making it an ideal solution for farmers seeking stability and higher productivity. This shorter growth period allows farmers to cultivate more frequently and reduces the risks posed by erratic weather conditions, offering them more security and stability in their production. “The early maturity of this variety makes it far superior to others,” said Mr. Fuseini, a farmer from Funsi. “We are looking forward to getting the seeds for the next season,” he added. For Mrs. Asugboro from Sandema, the variety represents a turning point. “Compared to the maize varieties we have grown before, Aburo Legon shows much higher potential,” she said.
But the story of Ghana’s food system transformation is not only told through laboratories and policy rooms. It is heard through the airwaves. The RAISE project, implemented with Farm Radio International, has reached farmers with gender-responsive, locally broadcast agricultural education. For Alatega Lazarus, a physically challenged farmer in Bawku West, and Fatima Abugri, a young woman in Garu District, these broadcasts have changed how they farm and how they see themselves.
Before encountering the RAISE programs, farming was barely sustainable for Alatega. His yields were poor, and the food he grew often ran out before the year ended. But since becoming a regular listener, Alatega has implemented practices he heard on air, including proper land preparation, use of improved seed, fertilizer application, and observing weather patterns. For Fatima, the RAISE project has dispelled long-held myths about improved seeds and opened a new path to agricultural success.
The RAISE project exemplifies AGRA’s Strategy 3.0, which prioritizes inclusive, resilient, and competitive food systems across Africa. In Ghana, AGRA is actively strengthening the rice and soybean value chains, improving access to climate-smart inputs and mechanization, and supporting women and youth in agribusiness. AGRA is making a tangible difference in the lives of smallholder farmers by addressing persistent gaps between production and post-harvest markets.
Lessons for the Continent
Ghana’s progress is built on a web of interconnected institutions, from national research centers and agro-dealers to local champions and digital platforms. Prioritizing local voices and local solutions is crucial. Whether it’s a farmer with disability improving his harvest through radio tips, or a young woman breaking myths around improved seeds, transformation is most powerful when it starts from the ground up. This is the kind of engagement that builds legitimacy, ownership, and sustained impact. But this momentum requires continued and coordinated investment. Governments, donors, and private actors must recognize that by backing locally-led innovations, we can turn national success stories into regional standards.
Ghana’s transformation proves that lasting impact comes from strengthening ecosystems such as farmer knowledge, seed supply, policy enforcement, and market systems. Not one-off inputs. Local seed companies like Antika, research institutions like WACCI, and farmer-centered platforms like the Seed Fairs have built a pipeline of inclusive growth with ripple effects across Ghana. When women, youth, and persons with disabilities are meaningfully engaged, local food systems become more adaptive, sustainable, and equitable. The stories of Antika, WACCI, Alatega, and Fatima are templates for resilience, prosperity, and pride. As we look to the future, let us learn from such homegrown paths. Let us scale what works, amplify local voices, and trust African farmers, scientists, and entrepreneurs to lead.