Collins Sefa Over $30 Million in Grants Expected Under Food for Progress to Boost Agribusiness and Innovation. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected Ghana as one of five priority countries to benefit from its global Food for Progress (FFPr) programme for the 2025 fiscal year. This designation positions Ghana to receive over US$30 million in grants, aimed at transforming its agriculture sector through innovation, capacity-building, and entrepreneurial growth.
According to a statement from the USDA, Ghana joins Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Vietnam as key focus countries for the next phase of the programme. The FFPr is expected to fund three- to five-year cooperative projects that align with its overarching goals of improving agricultural productivity and expanding markets and trade.
Supporting Agribusiness Growth
For Ghana’s agribusiness sector, the funding comes as a timely opportunity to address challenges in irrigation, climate-smart agriculture, food safety, and technical training. Entrepreneurs in the agriculture value chain—especially those in rice, soybean, wheat, and other high-potential crops—stand to benefit from new investments aimed at fostering innovation and increasing competitiveness.
The USDA indicated that details on accessing the funds will be released shortly, with stakeholders in Ghana expected to be notified through official channels. The funding could support public-private partnerships, farmer-based organizations, and agritech start-ups across the country.
Enabling Agro-Entrepreneurship
Since its inception in 1985, the Food for Progress programme has contributed to strengthening agriculture systems in developing countries, particularly through market development and entrepreneurial training. The initiative focuses on capacity-building in sanitary and phytosanitary standards, post-harvest handling, food safety practices, and strengthening local and international market linkages.
Last year, similar funding helped Rwanda refine its domestic food safety regulations, invest in laboratory testing and cold-chain logistics, and improve its trade in export crops. Tunisia, another recipient, enhanced its date production systems and adopted more efficient irrigation techniques.
Ghana’s inclusion in this year’s priority list is expected to catalyze agriculture-driven entrepreneurship, offering training, funding, and infrastructure support to a new generation of agripreneurs.
A Path to Sustainable Development
The announcement aligns with Ghana’s broader national goals of enhancing food security, reducing youth unemployment through agribusiness, and embracing climate-resilient agriculture models. By channeling these resources into sustainable and innovative farming practices, the USDA initiative offers Ghana a critical opportunity to transform rural livelihoods and scale agricultural enterprises.
The upcoming call for proposals is expected to attract applications from local NGOs, agribusiness startups, research institutions, and farmer cooperatives committed to Ghana’s agricultural transformation.
