In a landmark move to strengthen Ghana’s agricultural sector and empower women-led businesses, ten small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the cashew and oil palm industries have been selected to receive targeted grants under the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II (GPSCP II).
The Grant Award Signing Ceremony, held in Accra earlier this month, marks the first round of awards in a broader initiative aimed at boosting trade competitiveness and sustainable economic growth in Ghana. Of the ten (10) recipients, six(6) are women-led and owned—a significant step forward in promoting gender equity in Ghana’s agribusiness space.
GPSCP II is a bilateral initiative of the Government of Ghana and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland, jointly implemented by development consultancies NIRAS and Proforest. The program is designed to support actors in the cashew and oil palm value chains by enhancing processing capacity, improving sustainability practices, and promoting inclusive economic development.
“This event represents a significant achievement for GPSCP II since its launch in January 2024,” said Matej Dudak, the program’s Project Manager. “We remain committed to nurturing a supportive ecosystem for the cashew and oil palm sectors, with the goal of enhancing productivity and competitiveness.”
The grants fall under the program’s “Development Partnership with the Private Sector” mechanism, a strategic tool to deepen collaboration between public and private stakeholders. Through this mechanism, the selected enterprises and business associations will receive a tailored mix of technological support, business development services, and assistance in achieving sustainability certifications.
According to the program’s Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, Chrisveen Afun Davies, a second call for grants is expected in April 2025, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
“This initiative is not only about financial support,” Davies noted. “It’s about building capacity for long-term resilience—environmentally, economically, and socially.”
Dignitaries attending the ceremony emphasized the critical role of the private sector in transforming Ghana’s agriculture. They applauded the recipients for successfully navigating a competitive selection process and urged them to maximize the opportunity to strengthen their value chains.
Among those in attendance were the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Simone Giger, Chief Director for the Ministry of Food & Agriculture Paul Siameh, Tree Crops Development Authority CEO Andy Okrah, NIRAS Representative Jane Bech Larsen, and Proforest Executive Director Abraham Baffoe. Representatives from Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as key players from the cashew and oil palm sectors, also participated in the event.
The grants also prioritize environmental stewardship and climate resilience. In line with Ghana’s broader sustainable development goals, recipients are expected to implement climate-smart practices and ensure social inclusion in their business models.
With regional and global demand for tree crops on the rise, Ghana’s push to modernize and diversify its agro-industrial base could have significant economic implications. GPSCP II stands at the center of this transformation—one grant at a time.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.