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The Market for Maize, Rice, Soy, and Warehousing in Northern Ghana
The EAT Project has published the findings of a recent USAID study of the potential markets for maize, rice, and soy, as well as supply and demand for storage and postharvest services, with a focus on Northern Ghana. The assessment's goal was to critically evaluate market opportunities for Northern Ghanaian agribusinesses from the perspective of an investor, and to determine the profitability of proposed production, marketing, market development, and warehouse investment schemes. USAID undertook the study to support the investment decisions of the Government of Ghana, other donors and private stakeholders as part of the U.S. government Feed the Future Initiative to strengthen food security in developing countries.
The report isolates several factors of financial profitability and therefore sustainability in Northern Ghana's agricultural sector. The assessment concluded that certain market opportunities for maize, rice, soy, and warehousing services are likely to be viable. Other proposed investments were deemed to pose unacceptable risks given current market conditions. Further inquiry is recommended in key areas. Findings are based on over 200 in-depth and off-the-record interviews. An "At a Glance" document accompanies the larger report, and summarizes the opportunities evaluated.
About the Project
The Enabling Agricultural Trade (EAT) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), supports the U.S. government's global efforts to create conditions for agricultural growth. USAID established EAT based on substantial academic and field experience suggesting that a sound legal, regulatory, and institutional environment is a pre-requisite to economic growth in the agricultural sector. EAT offers a suite of targeted and customizable analytical tools and implementation support to identify, diagnose, and recommend reforms to agribusiness enabling environment (AgBEE) constraints that hinder start up and growth across the agricultural sector.
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