Closure Event of One of GOPA AFC's Largest and Longest Projects Supporting Market-Oriented Agriculture

On November 12, 2025, a one-day closure event for the GIZ Sustainable Employment through Agribusiness project (AgriBiz) took place in Accra, Ghana. This event marked the end of one of GOPA AFC's longest and most significant projects aimed at improving the competitiveness of private sector actors in domestic, regional, and international agricultural and agribusiness markets.

Since September 2009, GOPA AFC has supported GIZ in implementing this project, initially known as the "Market Oriented Agriculture Programme (MOAP)." The project began by targeting private sector operators along selected value chains (pineapple, citrus, mango, and vegetables) in the South and Middle Belt of Ghana, focusing on producers and processors. During the first seven years, GOPA AFC was responsible for developing the capacity of public and private agricultural service providers, including farmer-based and business membership organizations, as well as agricultural development units of the Ghanaian Ministry of Agriculture.

Our mandate later expanded to include services for developing and implementing certified sustainability standards, introducing quality management systems in agro-processing, and facilitating contract farming arrangements. Since 2017, our geographical focus widened to include North-West Ghana, where we provided technical assistance to small-scale producers in conservation agriculture (groundnut, vegetables, rice, mango, soya, sorghum, and cashew), an activity co-financed by the EU.

While activities in North-West Ghana continued until 2025, our engagement in the rest of the country took another turn in 2021 with the implementation of the SME Business Training and Coaching Loop (SME Loop) in the agribusiness sector, under the AgriBiz Programme and in partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of Trade and Industry (now Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry). The SME Loop is a GIZ tool designed to build the capacity of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through a tailor-made, six-month training and coaching support cycle. By November 2025, we had built the capacity of over 750 MSMEs, 48% of which were led by women, creating over 1,000 full-time-equivalent jobs.

Our engagement with GIZ in this project has yielded a wealth of innovative experiences and best practices, including the production of organic fertilizers and pesticides, solar drying systems, solar micro-irrigation schemes, competency-based training approaches, agricultural extension via radio programs and video clips, capacity development of input dealers, processors, and traders, training of female tractor operators, seed variety trials in the face of climate change, training of contract farming facilitators, use of farm waste for marketable goods (circular economy), improving access to finance through Village Savings and Loan Associations, quality management systems for food processing, and the use of digital tools in supply chain management.

Collaboration with Ghanaian and international private sector partners was crucial for successful implementation. Their strong buy-in ensured the sustainability of improved supply chains, investments in new processing facilities, and rigorous implementation of factory-level process improvements to enhance quality.

Over its 16-year duration, the project evolved into one of GOPA AFC's largest, with a total TA volume exceeding 20 million EUR. We extend our gratitude to all the national and international long- and short-term advisors, our dedicated Ghanaian support staff, and our local consortium partner CDC Consult for their commitment and support.