The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) Board Chairman Charles Abugre and its Chief Executive Officer Alexander Kofi-Mensah Mould recently toured Ghana’s Voltaian Basin to assess sites for the establishment of Agro-Ecological Parks (AEPs).
The proposed Agro-Ecological Parks will serve as integrated production zones designed to support year-round farming, food processing, storage, logistics and export.
The tour took the team across several agricultural zones in the Oti and Northern Regions, where officials observed what they described as significant untapped potential for large-scale farming, irrigation and agro-processing.
MiDA has begun a major push to transform Ghana’s Voltaian Basin into a network of agro-industrial hubs aimed at driving agricultural productivity and supporting the 24-hour economy agenda of President John Dramani Mahama.
Mr. Mould said the initiative is intended to move Ghana beyond subsistence agriculture to a more industrialised system that creates jobs and strengthens the country’s food security.
However, along the line, the delegation identified transportation challenges that could affect economic activity along the proposed agricultural corridor. The current ferry system serving the area is slow and unreliable, with commuters sometimes waiting more than three hours to cross the river.
Improving transport connectivity in the area is essential if the corridor is to attract investment and support large-scale agricultural production.
Mr. Mould said they are not looking at farming alone; the vision is to develop complete agro-industrial ecosystems where production, processing, storage and logistics work together to boost productivity and expand export opportunities.
The initiative aligns with broader efforts to strengthen value chains in crops such as rice, vegetables, fruit and other high-value commodities. Plans are also being considered for the establishment of an agro-industrial processing zone around the Salaga area to support agricultural value addition.
MiDA has urged chiefs in the Voltaian Basin to release land for advancing the 24-Hour Plus Programme by creating large-scale Agro-Ecological Parks (AEPs).
