Business opportunities in Ghana’s vegetable sector for European horticultural companies

The African continent is experiencing sustained economic growth. This is also the case in West-Africa, and more specifically Ghana. Ghana’s vegetable sector offers great opportunities for growth given the steady increase of high-value domestic markets and export opportunities. The domestic market alone is growing at more than 10% per year and the potential value for export of vegetables is estimated at US$250 million.



In order to unlock this potential, investments and innovations are required. These are exactly the focus-points of the GhanaVeg program, an initiative of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Accra, sponsored by the 2SCALE project. GhanaVeg introduces the business opportunities of the Ghanaian vegetable sector to European companies while at the same time creating an enabling business environment by facilitating regular high-level dialogues between the local public and private sector and a three-monthly Vegetable Business Platform attended by a large number of agri-companies (both Ghanaian and foreign).



European companies can get introduced to Ghana’s vegetable sector and the opportunities it offers for their company by participating in the GhanaVeg trade mission to Ghana from November 30 to December 4, 2014, which will be organized by the Netherlands-African Business Council . During this mission the participants will be introduced to potential business partners and other interesting contacts, and well as attend the Vegetable Business Platform, visit the AgroFood West Africa trade fair and participate in several field visits to a diverse set of Ghanaian agricultural companies and relevant government bodies and organizations.



The program regularly opens calls for proposals, thereby providing financial support for innovative proposals developed by cooperating local and European parties. Its Business Opportunities Fund co-funds projects aimed at either Vegetable Chain Integration or Protected Horticulture to a maximum of €50,000, with a private sector contribution (in kind or cash) of an equivalent amount. The R&D Innovation Call on Input Supply will co-finance four private sector-led innovative R&D activities to a maximum of €25,000. The calls are open for application for European companies active in the horticultural sector; the deadline for subscription for all calls is September 1, 2014.



It is through this combination of business development activities, funding-possibilities, applied research and a strong local network that the GhanaVeg program hopes to stimulate investment and innovation of the local vegetable-sector. For more information on the program, please visit www.ghanaveg.org. If you have any questions regarding the trade mission or want to register for it, feel free to contact Marlou Rijk at marlou.rijk@nabc.nl.