In recent years, farming in Ghana has changed dramatically for the better. More youth have been entering the sector. This has increased employment and provided opportunities for farmers to start their businesses.
In Ghana, farming has the potential to generate millions of dollars each year, and the future of agricultural wealth creation is undoubtedly bright. No matter where you are from, knowing the best crops to grow will help you establish or invest in a farm in Ghana the proper way.
These are 3 crops worth investing in.
Shea butter
The shea processing industry is most developed in Ghana, with Northern Ghana producing the majority of the crop. The production of shea butter mostly involves women. Technically speaking, shea butter is a tree nut product. Though it has very few proteins that can cause allergies, unlike most tree nut products. Shea butter is a vegetable fat extracted from the sun-dried kernels of the shea tree Vitellaria paradoxa. Its colour is off-white or ivory, and it solidifies at room temperature. The Savannah ecological zones are favourable for shea nut growth.
There are around 94 million shea trees in the nation, and they yield 60,000 tonnes of shea nuts annually. Shea trees start producing fruit after 10 to 15 days. It’s a fantastic product for conditioning, soothing, and smoothing your skin.
Ghana produces 94,000 metric tonnes (MT) of shea annually and ranks fourth in the world for the quality of its nuts. With an estimated 226,000 MT annual capacity for shea kernel extraction. Additionally, the shea tree has a huge, untapped potential for generating vital raw materials for the gum and rubber industries.
Palm oil
Red palm oil is one of the most popular cooking oil used for cooking across the country. Palm oil is Ghana’s second-most significant cash crop after cocoa. This oil with a distinctive taste and colour form the base of a lot of West African dishes. It has a red/orangey colour and could go from semi-solid to very viscous at room temperature. Red palm oil is derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree, Elaeis guineensis. Tropical, humid climates are ideal for Palm oil growth. These places typically have temperatures between 22°C and 33°C. Although Palm oil may grow in a range of soils, fertile loamy soil is their ideal environment. In Ghana, Palm oil is produced in regions that receive bimodal rainfall of more than 1200mm such as Eastern, Central, Western, Ashanti, Volta, and Brong Ahafo.
Every month of the year sees the harvesting of palm fruits. Ghana’s palm oil business presently generates more than $60 billion in annual global revenue. More than 35% of all vegetable oil production from oilseeds is made up primarily of palm oil.
Although it can also be used to generate biodiesel, Ghanaian palm oil is primarily used in the culinary business.
Plantain
Plantain farming in Ghana is one of the staple crops businesses in the country. Plantain is as well a viable source of income for small-scale farmers who grow it in their gardens.
Plantains grow in clusters because every matured plantain plant produces several baby suckers which are not pruned out. Plantain is grown in the Eastern, Ashanti & Brong Ahafo Regions of Ghana. Any fertile soil can be used to grow plantains without the requirement for crop protection or fertiliser. The export value of plantain in 2020 was $48.M of which the UK, France, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic was the destination of the exports.
In 2020, Ghana became the 28th largest exporter of fresh/dried plantain and bananas. That same year the 2 crops became the 20th most exported food product in Ghana. Plantain is usually processed into flour to extend its shelf life. It can be made in chips, baby foods and others.