Increasing Agricultural Competitiveness
Ghana is a focus country under the new Feed the Future (FtF) initiative. FtF is designed to help improve the economic performance of the agricultural sector. Key areas targeted for growth by the FtF initiative and the Government of Ghana are improving the availability, access, and utilization of grain and oil crops for domestic markets and generating surplus for export. To achieve this goal, the USAID Economic Growth Program enhances the competitiveness of Ghanaian agri-businesses in domestic, regional, and international markets. The program also engages women and strives to address the effects of climate change on food production. Furthermore, the program is working with the Government of Ghana to strengthen management of the oil and gas sector.
Activities include:
Improving the enabling environment for the private sector:
USAID programs focus on strengthening macroeconomic policy reform environment, improving agricultural policy analysis, and facilitating dialogue on policy and regulatory reforms. USAID also supports removing barriers for agricultural commodities to enter regional and international markets, and improving access to credit.
Strengthening the capacity of the private sector to respond to market demands:
USAID enhances the capacity of the private sector to access and supply domestic, regional, and international markets and to integrate smallholder farmers into the supply chain. Activities focus on improving access to markets through better market information; meeting required food safety regulations, health and phyto-sanitary standards; increasing the production capacity of firms through improved technologies and environmentally sound production practices; improving the management capacity of firms; applying best practices in sustainable resource management in agriculture; and strengthening business associations to provide better services to their members.
Expanding and improving access to economic and social infrastructure:
USAID is providing technical assistance and training to promote reforms of the regulatory framework in the banking sector and developing applications to improve market information for selected staple food crops and non-traditional exports. USAID programs benefited a total of 347 producer organizations, including 28 women's organizations, and 104 agriculture-related firms in FY 2010.
Supporting modern energy services:
USAID focuses its efforts on providing capacity-building and advisory services in the oil, gas, and power sectors. This technical assistance reinforces the capacities of the Government of Ghana in defining and conducting institutional, regulatory, and commercial strategies in the development of these sectors. USAID assistance helps the Government of Ghana to prepare for and make decisions that reflect international best practices, and trains Ghanaian officials, representatives of power utilities and local businesses in the development of the country’s oil, gas, and power sectors.
Improving sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity:
USAID is taking an integrated approach to sustainable natural resource management in Ghana to ensure that the environment and natural resources are managed in ways that sustain agricultural productivity. Also, to support the Government of Ghana in achieving its fisheries and sustainable natural resource management objectives of poverty reduction, food security, sustainable management and conservation, USAID is working with local communities and district governments to protect forest and marine ecosystems and fisheries in the Western Region.
.