National Seed System Reset Programme Launched to boost 24-hour economy

The two-day National Seed System Reset Programme was launched earlier this week on March 16 at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) Car Park, University of Ghana, Legon. The event brought together policymakers, agricultural experts, seed producers, development partners, and other key stakeholders to advance discussions on strengthening Ghana’s seed system as part of the country’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.

Organised by the 24-Hour Economy Authority, in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana and the Ghana Seed Partnership, the programme seeks to create a modern, coordinated pipeline to ensure farmers have reliable access to improved seed varieties.

Scaling Up Cultivation and Infrastructure

The Head of Sector Strategy and Integration at the 24-Hour Economy Authority, Dr. Charles T. Nornoo, emphasised that a reliable and efficient seed delivery system is crucial to Ghana achieving its ambitious plans to expand irrigated farming along the Volta Basin.

The government aims to cultivate up to two million hectares of farmland, particularly along the Volta Basin and its tributaries, as part of a strategic push to modernise the agricultural sector and strengthen national food security. The initiative will leverage the Volta Economic Corridor to provide infrastructure, irrigation systems, and multimodal transport networks to facilitate production and market access.

“In addition to what we already have, we are looking at what exists along the Volta Basin and its tributaries,” Dr. Nornoo said. “To do two million hectares of cultivation requires a lot of enablers, which we recognised at the very beginning.”

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Farmers

Dr. Nornoo highlighted that seed availability is one of the most critical factors underpinning the success of large-scale irrigation and multiple cropping cycles.

“You cannot think about doing two million hectares of planting and irrigation, which means multiple crops in a year and different types of seeds, and not think about how you are going to get that seed,” he said.

While Ghana has strong research capacity and sufficient planting materials, Dr. Nornoo noted that the country’s key challenge lies in ensuring that improved seeds reach farmers effectively.

“We do not have a problem with research. We do not have a problem with material to plant,” he said. “The problem we have is how to ensure that our farmers get the seed to be able to plant.”

To address this, the programme seeks to build a robust delivery pipeline connecting research institutions, seed multipliers, certification bodies, government agencies, and farmer organisations. Dr. Nornoo also acknowledged the vital support of development partners, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Dutch Embassy, and the J.E.T. Project, which have helped lay the groundwork for these reforms.

A Core Pillar of the 24H+ Vision

Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy initiative, Goosie Tanoh, described the programme as a central component of the government’s 24H+ vision, highlighting the potential of a modern seed system to serve as core economic infrastructure.

Participants toured WACCI’s laboratories, early-generation seed facilities, certification labs, and the Horticulture Innovation Hub, observing first-hand the scientific and institutional foundations Ghana already possesses. The programme also featured exhibitions from several public and private organisations, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the National Seed Trade Association of Ghana, the Ghana-Netherlands Seed Partnership, and many more.

“What we experienced this afternoon is not a side event; it is the front door to how Ghana will deliver the 24H+ vision on the ground,” Mr. Tanoh said. “Private and public capabilities are not our constraint; architecture, coordination, and execution are.”

Key Performance Targets for 2026

The Presidential Advisor outlined key performance targets for 2026, which include:

• Activation of 200,000 jobs across priority sectors
• Integration of 500 SMEs into structured finance and industrial park ecosystems
• Mobilisation of over GH¢10 billion in capital commitments
• Operationalisation of the Volta Economic Corridor, including at least five agro-ecological or aquaculture parks and three industrial parks
• Establishment of three cooperative-owned production and processing enterprises

He stressed that achieving these objectives depends entirely on an organised and well-financed seed system. Mr. Tanoh also emphasised the need to protect intellectual property to incentivise innovation, ensuring plant breeders and research institutions are safeguarded through enforceable licensing agreements.

Looking Ahead: From Discussion to Action

The Development Director at the British High Commission in Ghana, Terri Sarch, highlighted Ghana’s agricultural progress over the past two decades, noting that yields for crops such as maize have doubled due to the adoption of improved seed varieties. She stressed that this adoption must increase if Ghana is to sustain productivity growth and adapt to climate change challenges.

“Events like this remind us that progress is not driven by any single actor alone but through the combined efforts of farmers, researchers, policymakers, innovators, and development partners like the UK and the Netherlands,” Ms. Sarch said.

Closing the session, Mr. Tanoh urged participants to move from discussion to practical action, announcing the formation of a Seed Systems Task Team. This team has a 60-day mandate to present a detailed implementation roadmap, with pilot delivery models for maize and rice expected within 90 days.

“We must return tomorrow not to recount problems but to design the seed system that will feed our parks, our cooperatives, our exporters, and our urban consumers in a 24-hour economy,” he concluded.