Ghana’s Food Wastage Threatens Food Security

Ghana loses enough food each year to feed the entire Ashanti Region for more than 18 months, agribusiness expert Daniel Fahene Acquaye has warned.

Speaking at the inaugural Regional Agribusiness Dialogue in Kumasi on Friday, the CEO of Agri-Impact Limited estimated annual post-harvest losses at $1.9 to $2 billion, highlighting gaps in storage, transportation, and processing as major causes.

“These losses are staggering. The food we waste could sustain millions of people for more than a year,” Acquaye said, stressing the urgent need for systemic reform and investment in the agricultural value chain.

Ghana continues to import roughly $2 billion worth of food annually, a burden on foreign exchange and local producers. Acquaye called for the establishment of a dedicated AgriFund to finance storage, processing, irrigation, and logistics.

The dialogue, organized by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) alongside Agri-Impact Limited, Mastercard Foundation, PwC, and others, aims to inform Ghana’s first National Agribusiness Policy and promote coordinated sector growth.

Kwame Ntim of MoTAI emphasized that fragmented initiatives have held back the sector, while industry leaders highlighted the need for private sector ownership and collaboration to turn Ghana’s agricultural potential into real prosperity.

“With vast arable land and resources, bold action is needed now to curb losses, strengthen food security, and boost agribusiness-led growth,” Acquaye concluded.