Ghana's Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has demanded that African governments dedicate at least 10 percent of their annual budgets to the agriculture sector. He stated this is crucial for improving food security and boosting economies across the continent.
Mr. Opoku voiced his concerns at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty, and Values on Thursday, June 4. He warned that insufficient funding stops agriculture from reaching its full potential. This sector is vital for jobs and the overall prosperity of African nations.
African countries made promises to invest more in agriculture. These were made under the Maputo Declaration in 2003 and repeated in the Kampala Declaration. However, Mr. Opoku noted that these promises are not being kept. Many countries invest far less than the agreed amount. Some allocate a mere 0.6 percent of their national budgets to agriculture.
Such low investment levels are entirely inadequate. Agriculture is the main employer for most Africans. It feeds the continent's people. It holds the key to industrial growth and reducing poverty. Mr. Opoku pointed out that current spending levels do not reflect this importance. For example, countries that rely heavily on farming for jobs and exports should prioritise this sector in their budgets. Current national budget allocations in many African nations fall drastically short of even the most optimistic targets set by international agreements.
The Minister urged African parliaments to hold governments accountable. Parliaments must ensure that money promised for agriculture is actually spent. They should scrutinise national budgets. They need to demand clear reasons when agriculture funding falls below continental agreements. Lawmakers must ensure that budget promises lead to real improvements on the ground. This oversight is fundamental for good governance and effective development planning.
Mr. Opoku's call highlights a persistent challenge in Africa's development story. Despite agriculture's massive contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment in many African countries, it often receives a disproportionately small share of national budgets. This underfunding directly impacts the sector's ability to adopt modern farming techniques, improve infrastructure like irrigation and storage, and develop processing industries. For instance, if a country's agriculture sector contributes 20 percent to its GDP but receives only 1 percent of the budget, this presents a clear mismatch. This situation contrasts with developed economies where agriculture, though a smaller employer, often benefits from significant research and development (R&D) funding and subsidies. The minister's emphasis on parliamentary oversight is therefore critical, as it empowers elected representatives to champion the needs of farmers and rural communities and ensure that public funds are directed towards sectors with the greatest potential for widespread impact.
The implications of this call are significant for international development partners and domestic policymakers. Increased investment in agriculture can lead to lower food prices for consumers and create more jobs, especially for the youth. It also reduces reliance on food imports, saving valuable foreign exchange. African parliaments now face the challenge of translating this demand into policy action. Investors looking at African markets will be monitoring how seriously governments take agricultural funding, as it signals their commitment to sustainable economic growth and stability. The exact figure of GHS 4.2 billion in agricultural imports for Ghana in 2023, as previously reported, underscores the economic imperative for strengthening domestic production through better funding.