Dutch Trade Mission strengthens Ghana–Netherlands collaboration in horticulture and agribusiness

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, in collaboration with East-West Trade, the Ghana Netherlands Business and Culture Council (GNBCC), and other partners, organised a Dutch Horticulture Trade Mission to Ghana from Tuesday 28th October to 1 November 2025.

The mission featured not only participation in the 7th Edition of the Agrofood & Plastprintpack Fair in Accra, but also field visits to the North to visit horticultural sites and engage with key stakeholders.

The five-day mission brought together 14 leading Dutch agribusinesses and expert organizations for a strategic program designed to explore partnerships, facilitate knowledge exchange, and strengthen cooperation in Ghana’s fast-growing horticulture sector.

 

 

Activities included participation in the Agrofood Fair, the launch of the Ghana  Seed Partnership (GSP), matchmaking sessions with Ghanaian businesses in Accra and Tamale, field visits, and a networking cocktail. The mission built on the success of the trade mission of last May, using the momentum to strengthen partnerships, but also exploring new networks.

Representing the Netherlands at the opening of the Agrofood Fair, Dr. Rens Twijnstra, Head of Economic Affairs at the Embassy, highlighted the growing Dutch presence in Ghana’s horticulture sector. “This year, our pavilion has doubled in size, with 14 Dutch companies showcasing innovations in climate-smart agriculture,  seed technology, and sustainable value chain development. This growth symbolizes the deepening collaboration between Ghana and the Netherlands,” he noted.

Participating Dutch companies included Advance Consulting, Agriterra, Bakker Brothers, Celtic Cooling, East-West Seeds, Den Ouden Growsolutions, Holland Farming, Holland Greentech, IDH, Koppert, Seed NL, Safisana, Spaak Circular Solutions, and Vegtech Netafim.

Launch of the Ghana Seed Partnership (GSP)

After months of dedicated work and an in-depth assessment of the seed sector, the Netherlands Embassy and its partners officially launched the Ghana Seed Partnership (GSP), on Wednesday, 29th October 2025.

The partnership aims to enable collaboration between public and private actors from Ghana and the Netherlands in order to build a sustainable, high-performing seed sector that supports smallholder farmers and advances Ghana’s agricultural transformation.

Opening the event, the Project Managers of the program, Mr. Fred Frimpong and Ms. Nieke Westerik, explained that the GSP builds on years of Dutch–Ghanaian collaboration in agriculture and now focuses on sustainable, market-driven solutions.

The project will be implemented by GNBCC, Advance Consulting with support from RVO and the Netherlands Embassy. The partnership aims to build a sustainable, high-performing seed sector that supports smallholder farmers and advances Ghana’s agricultural transformation.

The GSP brings together 13  key stakeholders, including Truvalu, Simba, Enza Zaden, Bakker Brothers, IWAD, Profyta, East-West Seed, Rijk Zwaan, Zasco, GNBCC, Advance Consulting, Wageningen University and Research (WUR), and SeedNL.

Delivering the keynote address, H.E. Jeroen Verheul, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana, said: “For many years, Ghana and the Netherlands have worked together in strengthening the horticulture sector. Today we are taking the next step in collaboration. We are, quite literally, planting a seed for deeper and more structured cooperation between our countries and partners”.

Representing the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Solomon Gyan Ansah, Director of Crop Services, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the partnership, emphasizing that it aligns with national priorities in seed production, certification, and commercialization. “We must ensure that farmers have access to the right, high-quality  seeds and the right environment to thrive,” he said.

The launch concluded with a symbolic seed planting and sod-cutting ceremony, by H.E. Jeroen Verheul, together with  Mr. Charles Nornoo from GROW 24 and Dr. Solomon Gyan Ansah from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, marking the beginning of a new phase of Ghana–Netherlands cooperation in agribusiness.

Research Findings Presented at the Netherlands Pavilion

 As part of the Embassy’s program lineup, two key research presentations were made at the Netherlands Pavilion: “Assessment of Horticultural Seedling Business Opportunities in Ghana” and “Access to Finance for the Smallholder Horticulture Sector”. Presented by Dr. Naalamle Amissah from the West Africa Horticulture Innovation Hub, the seedling study explored the potential for professional seedling production to improve yields, enhance planting quality, and open new agribusiness opportunities.

An engaging panel discussion on access to finance for Ghana’s smallholder horticulture sector used the recently published Financial Landscape Study by Advance Consulting as its starting point. The study highlights persistent barriers such as high interest rates, limited access to credit, and low financial literacy, but also identifies an investment potential of over GHS 160 million across a network of approximately 8,000 farmers. The discussion underlined the importance of collaboration and data-driven innovation to make agricultural finance more inclusive and responsive to the needs of Ghana’s growing horticulture sector.

Field visit to Tamale

The trade mission continued in Tamale, focusing on gaining insights into the horticultural sector in northern Ghana, engaging with key stakeholders and partners, and strengthening collaboration with regional policymakers.

These engagements aimed to identify areas where Dutch partners can contribute their knowledge and expertise to support sustainable horticultural development. Promoting organic farming to enhance soil health and produce healthy, nutritious crops was seen as one of these key opportunities.

The visit concluded with a networking dinner with the Regional Minister, Hon. John Adolf Ali, at the Red Clay Studio, a dynamic art space, featuring a menu curated by Chef Dudughu, who is dedicated to celebrating the rich food heritage of Northern Ghana.