The Ghana–Nebraska Agricultural Partnership continued to gain momentum on Day Three of the Nebraska delegation’s visit to Ghana, with a strategic engagement at the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL) aimed at exploring innovative approaches to strengthen agribusiness development, agricultural financing, and market expansion.
The meeting brought together officials of GIRSAL and members of the Nebraska delegation led by former Nebraska State Senator Ken Schilz, Co-founder of EcoSyntra LLC and the Ghana-Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations Chamber (GNEBCham), to discuss opportunities for collaboration in technology transfer, technical knowledge sharing, training, capacity building, and investment support for agribusinesses.
Speaking during the engagement, the Chief Executive Officer of GIRSAL, Nicholas Afrifa, underscored the importance of partnerships that enhance the resilience and competitiveness of Ghana’s agricultural sector. He noted that the proposed collaboration between GIRSAL and Nebraska presents significant opportunities for Ghanaian agribusinesses to access innovative technologies, practical expertise, and strategic support that can help improve productivity and business sustainability.
According to him, the partnership will also create avenues for members and agribusiness operators to deepen their participation in international markets while equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to compete effectively within an increasingly globalized agricultural economy.
Mr. Afrifa further emphasized that the collaboration aligns with GIRSAL’s mandate of promoting agricultural lending and investment by de-risking agricultural financing, thereby making the sector more attractive to financial institutions and investors. He explained that strengthening agribusiness capacity through training, technical assistance, and market linkages would contribute significantly to building a more sustainable and commercially viable agricultural sector.
“The partnership between GIRSAL and Nebraska has the potential to transform agribusiness enterprises by creating new opportunities for growth, innovation, and market access. It will further strengthen our efforts to support agricultural businesses while expanding opportunities for investment and trade,” he noted.
For his part, Senator Ken Schilz highlighted the practical benefits of the Ghana–Nebraska Agricultural Partnership, stressing that the collaboration is designed to move beyond dialogue to deliver tangible support for agribusinesses across the value chain.
He explained that Nebraska’s extensive experience in agricultural production, agribusiness management, livestock development, and value-chain integration would provide valuable lessons and technical expertise to support Ghanaian enterprises. According to him, the partnership seeks to facilitate practical solutions that will help businesses scale up operations, improve productivity, and access new markets.
“The objective is to build meaningful relationships that deliver real impact. Through knowledge exchange, training, and technical collaboration, we want to support businesses to grow, become more competitive, and take advantage of emerging opportunities within regional and international markets,” Senator Schilz stated.
The engagement with GIRSAL forms part of a broader series of consultations being undertaken by the Nebraska delegation as they advance the implementation of the historic Ghana–Nebraska Agricultural Cooperation Agreement. The discussions continue to reinforce a shared commitment to promoting agricultural transformation, expanding agribusiness investment, strengthening food systems, and creating sustainable economic opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs, and agribusiness enterprises in both Ghana and Nebraska.
As the partnership evolves, stakeholders remain optimistic that enhanced collaboration in financing, technology, capacity building, and market development will accelerate the growth of Ghana’s agricultural sector while positioning local agribusinesses to compete more effectively on the global stage.
About GIRSAL
This is a non-banking financial institution established to de-risk agricultural financing and stimulate increased lending to the agricultural sector, by financial institutions in Ghana.
GIRSAL provides credit risk guarantees to financial institutions to increase lending to the agricultural sector in Ghana. We also provide technical support to improve their knowledge and understanding of the agricultural sector and to strengthen their capacity to assess, structure and manage agribusiness lending.
GIRSAL is a limited liability company wholly owned by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance and is capitalized with seed funding from the Bank of Ghana and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
