{"id":16178,"date":"2026-06-12T11:30:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T11:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/?p=16178"},"modified":"2026-06-12T11:30:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T11:30:50","slug":"spotlight-agriterras-farmer-focused-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/spotlight-agriterras-farmer-focused-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight: Agriterra\u2019s Farmer-Focused Transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last month, the GNBCC&#8217;s General manager, Hilde Famaey, visited the Agriterra team in Accra for a visit, an initiative we proudly conduct throughout the year to stay connected with our community. During the visit, the Agriterra team shared exciting details about one of their impactful projects currently running in Ghana: the <strong>Farmer-Focused Transformation (FFT2)<\/strong> programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read the details below to learn how they are reshaping the agricultural landscape, and find out how you can get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Farmer-Focused Transformation: Creating Strong Horticulture Cooperatives for a Prosperous and Resilient Agricultural Sector in Ghana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across Ghana\u2019s horticulture sector, a significant transformation is already underway, and Agriterra is at the centre of it. Through Agriterra\u2019s Farmer-Focused Transformation (FFT2) Project, smallholder farmers are gaining the tools, structure, and market connections they need to move beyond fragmented, subsistence-level production and build resilient, commercially competitive cooperative businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2026, Agriterra launched the second phase of this ambitious initiative with a clear and ambitious vision: to transform horticultural farmer organisations into strong, inclusive, and business-oriented cooperatives that deliver measurably better incomes, greater resilience, and stronger market competitiveness for twenty thousand Ghanaian farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This second phase builds directly on the foundations laid by FFT1 (2021\u20132025), which demonstrated what becomes possible when cooperatives receive sustained, structured support. In Ghana\u2019s cocoa sector, the Akyemansa Fine Flavour Cooperative is a case in point: through FFT1, the cooperative strengthened its financial management systems, secured a lending partnership with Pan-African Savings and Loans, and established a functioning Farmer Service Centre. By 2025, GHS 2.4 million in credit had been disbursed to over 300 members, enabling farmers to access inputs and services at the right time and improving yields and livelihoods. Equally telling is the story of West Akyem Cocoa Farmers Union, which was assessed under FFT1 but not initially onboarded. Rather than wait, its leaders acted on the feedback independently, strengthening governance and formalising structures, and returned to successfully join FFT2. These stories reflect the lasting value of FFT1: not just the results achieved, but the mindset it helped to cultivate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The results so far speak for themselves. In the first phase of implementation alone, Agriterra has scoped, assessed, and onboarded eight horticultural cooperatives, collectively representing more than 12,000 smallholder farmers spread across Ghana. These include pineapple, mango, tomato, and pepper cooperatives. These cooperatives are, as such, strategically embedded in some of Ghana\u2019s most important horticultural value chains, sectors that are central to food security, employment creation, income generation, and export growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the numbers are only part of the story. These cooperatives represent something more fundamental: the future of farmer-led agribusiness transformation in Ghana. Ghana\u2019s horticultural sector has long been held back by a familiar set of structural constraints: weak governance systems, limited access to finance, poor aggregation infrastructure, significant post-harvest losses, and insufficient bargaining power in increasingly competitive markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FFT2 project directly addresses these gaps by helping cooperatives evolve into professional, self-reliant businesses capable of delivering real value to their members. Through tailored advisory services, milestone-based coaching, and hands-on capacity building, each cooperative receives targeted support to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strengthen governance and financial management systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve market access and commercial positioning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develop sustainable farmer service centres.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build partnerships with financial institutions and buyers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introduce climate-smart and productivity-enhancing technologies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create employment opportunities for youth through cooperative business models.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is not short-term project support. It is long-term, systemic change designed to build permanent institutional capacity within farmer organisations, capacity that endures well beyond the project itself. By 2030, Agriterra aims to work with 20 horticultural cooperatives reaching over 20,000 farmers across Ghana, creating a robust network of farmer-led enterprises capable of driving food systems transformation, reducing import dependency, boosting exports, and delivering lasting improvements to household incomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of FFT2\u2019s most distinctive features is its ability to connect Ghanaian cooperatives directly with world-class Dutch knowledge, technology, and innovation networks. Through active partnerships with Holland GreenTech, East-West Seed, Farmerline, and a range of financial sector actors, Ghanaian cooperatives are now gaining practical access to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improved seed varieties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Climate-smart irrigation systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digital financial solutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Market intelligence tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sustainable pest and soil management innovations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these partnerships are closing the knowledge, technology, and finance gaps that have historically constrained horticultural productivity and commercialisation in Ghana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get Involved<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you a business, investor, or organisation looking to engage with Ghana\u2019s growing horticulture sector? Agriterra welcomes partnerships that can accelerate cooperative development, improve market access, and drive agricultural innovation across Ghana. Reach out to learn more about the FFT2 project and how you can be part of this transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Frank Oduro | Country Representative, Ghana<\/strong> +233 242 776 791 Oduro@agriterra.org <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last month, the GNBCC&#8217;s General manager, Hilde Famaey, visited the Agriterra team in Accra for a visit, an initiative we proudly conduct throughout the year to stay connected with our community. During the visit, the Agriterra team shared exciting details about one of their impactful projects currently running in Ghana: the Farmer-Focused Transformation (FFT2) programme.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":16190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[153],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-articles"],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12970,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/introducing-gnbcc-premium-member-agriterra\/","url_meta":{"origin":16178,"position":0},"title":"Introducing GNBCC Premium Member: AGRITERRA","author":"Grace Agorigo","date":"April 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Agriterra is an international, not-for-profit agri-agency with its Head Office in the Netherlands, and working in 4 regions globally: West Africa, East Africa, The Great Lakes Region and Asia. Agriterra was founded by Dutch farmers\u2019 organisations and cooperatives over 25 years ago as an organisation for international peer-to-peer agricultural cooperation.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;GNBCC Members&quot;","block_context":{"text":"GNBCC Members","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/gnbcc-members\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2024-04-23_0_Agriterra.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2024-04-23_0_Agriterra.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2024-04-23_0_Agriterra.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2024-04-23_0_Agriterra.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15152,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/unlocking-finance-for-ghanas-horticulture-sector-a-collaborative-dialogue\/","url_meta":{"origin":16178,"position":1},"title":"Unlocking Finance for Ghana\u2019s Horticulture Sector: A Collaborative Dialogue","author":"Grace Agorigo","date":"February 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday, February 12, 2026, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with its partners, Resilience BV, MDF West Africa and the Ghana-Netherlands Business and Culture Council (GNBCC) convened with key stakeholders across the horticulture sector to address one critical question: How do we unlock finance to accelerate\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News Articles","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/news-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/POMBI-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/POMBI-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/POMBI-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/POMBI-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/POMBI-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15952,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/strengthening-farmer-voices-in-ghanas-cocoa-sector\/","url_meta":{"origin":16178,"position":2},"title":"Solidaridad West Africa &#8211; Strengthening Farmer Voices in Ghana\u2019s Cocoa Sector","author":"Grace Agorigo","date":"June 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"For years, cocoa farmers in Ghana worked within fragmented systems with limited influence over decisions that directly shaped their livelihoods.\u00a0 The formation of the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association marks a major step in this direction.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News Articles","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/news-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-10.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-10.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-10.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-10.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-10.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16435,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/gnbcc-visits-ghana-food-movement-to-strengthen-collaboration-under-psd2\/","url_meta":{"origin":16178,"position":3},"title":"The GNBCC Visits Ghana Food Movement to Strengthen Collaboration Under PSD2","author":"Paul N.","date":"June 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week Thursday, the GNBCC and the Ghana Food Movement (GFM) held a strategic engagement at The Kitchen in Osu to deepen collaboration within Ghana\u2019s horticulture ecosystem under the Private Sector Development Programme (PSD2). This session allowed both teams to introduce ongoing initiatives, explore areas of synergy, and strengthen partnerships\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Ghana Food Movement&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Ghana Food Movement","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/ghana-food-movement\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-13.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-13.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-13.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-13.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Newsletter-Blog-Media-13.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13613,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/dutch-trade-mission-in-accra-strengthens-ghana-netherlands-collaboration-in-horticulture-and-agribusiness\/","url_meta":{"origin":16178,"position":4},"title":"Dutch Trade Mission in Accra Strengthens Ghana\u2013Netherlands Collaboration in Horticulture and Agribusiness","author":"Michael Teye","date":"October 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, in collaboration with East-West Trade, the Ghana Netherlands Business and Culture Council (GNBCC), and other partners, officially launched the Dutch Horticulture Trade Mission to Ghana on Tuesday, 28th October 2025, at the 7th Edition of the Agrofood & Plastprintpack Fair\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dutch-Trade-Mission.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dutch-Trade-Mission.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dutch-Trade-Mission.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dutch-Trade-Mission.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dutch-Trade-Mission.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8423,"url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/east-west-seed-knowledge-transfers-field-day-learning-farm-launch-in-duayaw-nkwanta-sunyani\/","url_meta":{"origin":16178,"position":5},"title":"East-West Seed-Knowledge Transfer\u2019s Field Day &amp; Learning Farm Launch in Duayaw Nkwanta","author":"Grace Agorigo","date":"July 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"GNBCC alongside the HBP, proudly participated in a milestone event hosted by member company East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Horticulture Business Platform&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Horticulture Business Platform","link":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/category\/hbp\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2025-07-25_0_EWS.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2025-07-25_0_EWS.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2025-07-25_0_EWS.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2025-07-25_0_EWS.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/MEMBER-VISIT-SOS-villages-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16178"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16194,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16178\/revisions\/16194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnbcc.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}