Key points
- Ghana’s agritech startups boost productivity and market access, empowering farmers.
- Key sectors: farm management, e-commerce, finance, precision agriculture.Â
- Success hinges on digital literacy, infrastructure, and regulatory support.
Ghana’s agritech industry is rapidly evolving, with innovative startups tackling major challenges in agriculture, such as market access, financing, and productivity.
Agriculture plays a vital role in Ghana’s economy, contributing 20 percent of GDP and employing around 50 percent of the workforce as of 2020, according to the Ghana Statistical Service. Yet, the sector struggles with limited productivity, fragmented supply chains, and financial constraints.
Transforming agriculture with innovative agritech solutions
Traditional agricultural methods can no longer meet the demands of a growing population or ensure food security efficiently. The rise of agritech—technology designed to tackle agricultural challenges—is transforming farming practices, enhancing access to financial services, and improving market connectivity, paving the way for a more sustainable agricultural sector.
Ghana’s agritech startup ecosystem has rapidly expanded, with over 50 startups focused on diverse agricultural solutions as of 2020 (Ghana Tech Lab). These startups attracted more than $10 million in funding, highlighting the increasing investor interest in the sector’s potential (Agritech Africa). The ecosystem addresses four key areas: farm management and monitoring, market access and e-commerce, financial inclusion and insurance, and precision agriculture leveraging IoT (Internet of Things) technology.
Transforming Ghanaian agriculture through agritech innovation
Agritech startups are transforming how Ghanaian farmers cultivate, monitor, and market their produce. While the rise of agritech in Ghana brings significant opportunities, challenges remain, including inadequate infrastructure, low digital literacy among farmers, and evolving regulatory frameworks. Addressing these obstacles is crucial for the sustained success and growth of the sector.
These startups are vital in tackling critical issues such as limited market access, low productivity, and technology adoption, all while promoting growth, efficiency, and sustainability in Ghana’s agricultural landscape. Other notable players in this space include Agripro, Farmify, Ghanaian Farmers’ Network, MobiPay, and TechLab Ghana.
Here are five pioneering agritech companies making an impact:
Founded by Alloysius Attah in 2013, Farmerline is a digital agriculture platform empowering over 200,000 smallholder farmers with education, market access, and financial inclusion, facilitating over $10 million in sales.
Founded by two ex-esoko employees, Francis Obirikorang and Michael K. Ocansey in 2015, AgroCenta is an agricultural e-commerce platform that connects over 10,000 farmers to urban markets, generating over $5 million in sales.
- Ghalani
Founded in 2016 by Ogbonna Amanze and Tabitha Mayabi, Ghalani uses IoT-based monitoring and data analytics to enhance farm management, boosting yields by 20 percent for over 500 farmers.
Founded in 2018 by Seyram Mantey, Prince Asamoah, and Eugene Asiedu, Kwidex is a digital agricultural marketplace that has facilitated over $1 million in sales, connecting more than 2,000 farmers.
Founded in 2017 by Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi, Trotro Tractor provides a platform for renting farm equipment, reaching over 5,000 farmers and cutting labor costs by 30 percent.
