Collins Sefa Ghana’s seed industry is calling for stronger public-private partnerships (PPPs) and renewed government investment to sustain agricultural growth as donor funding continues to decline, raising concerns about future food security and job creation.
Speaking at the opening of the 6th National Seed Business and Networking Forum (SEEDLINK 2025), held under the theme “Investing in the Seed Industry: A Prerequisite to Feed Ghana,” President of the National Seed Traders Association of Ghana (NASTAG), Seidu Mubarak Abdullahi, said the country’s “Feed Ghana” agenda depends heavily on the strength of its seed sector.
“For agriculture, everything starts with the seed,” he noted. “Without the right seed, it is difficult for us to increase the yields that we are looking at.”
Abdullahi said the COVID-19 pandemic proved Ghana can rely on its local seed system when global supply chains collapse. Yet the sector still faces major investment gaps that limit the production of high-quality seeds and force the country to import certified seeds—draining foreign exchange and reducing local job opportunities.
According to him, Ghana needs over US$100 million in investments to expand seed farms, cold storage, irrigation infrastructure and processing facilities.
He added that the country’s 2013 national seed policy is outdated and must be comprehensively reviewed by 2026 to reflect advancements in biotechnology, hybrid seed development and climate-smart agriculture.
“The climate is changing, technologies have evolved, and we need a policy that reflects what has changed in the last 12 years,” he stressed.
As part of its proposals, NASTAG is calling for an immediate halt to seed imports, or alternatively, higher tariffs on imported seeds—reinvested into domestic production.
The sector’s concerns have intensified following the withdrawal of a major USAID programme earlier this year, which left a significant funding gap. Abdullahi urged government, private investors and development partners to step in:
“A lot of funding within the agriculture sector is donor-supported. We are calling for more partnerships—public-private partnerships, development partners’ support and investment from industry players.”
Chairman of SEEDLINK 2025, Professor Michael Osae, also highlighted the need for stronger investment, saying local researchers have already developed several high-yielding, climate-resilient and nutrient-enriched varieties of cowpea, soybean and maize. However, he noted that commercialisation remains low because many seed companies lack the capacity to produce certified seeds at scale.
“Varieties are different from seeds,” he explained. “A variety may be very good, but if the seed system is not good you will not get quality seed.”
Prof. Osae added that poor storage infrastructure—especially the absence of adequate cold storage—continues to undermine seed viability and germination rates.
