The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has said Ghana is finalising a new Oil Palm Plantation Policy for inclusion in the 2026 Budget, following discussions with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on strengthening support for the country’s agricultural growth.
Dr Ato Forson made this known on Friday after meeting with Mr Ethiopis Tafara, the IFC’s Regional Vice President for Africa.
The meeting explored ways the IFC could support Ghana’s development priorities, particularly in the agriculture sector.
According to the Finance Minister, the upcoming oil palm policy is part of a broader national plan to make agriculture a key source of jobs, growth, and industrial development.
“The potential is enormous. With the right investment and partnerships, we believe Ghana can create over 500,000 jobs across the value chain, from cultivation and processing to manufacturing and exports, through the development of these strategic crops,” Dr Ato Forson stated in a Facebook post.
He added that transforming agriculture on a large scale requires long-term financing. The government, he said, is working with the World Bank, IFC, and other development partners to attract funds and encourage private sector involvement.
“I also emphasised that such large-scale agricultural transformation requires patient capital, and we are therefore working closely with the World Bank, IFC, and other development partners to mobilise financing and catalyse private sector participation,” Dr Ato Forson noted.
He explained that the initiative reflects government’s plan to develop economic crops and use agriculture as a tool for inclusive growth and job creation.
“Ghana is ready to move. Together with our partners, we will harness the power of agriculture to deliver inclusive growth, create jobs, and place economic crops at the heart of our nation’s transformation agenda,” the Finance Minister added.
The Oil Palm Plantation Policy, expected to be presented in the 2026 Budget, will outline government’s plan for developing the oil palm value chain as a strategic sector for national development.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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