Yaw Njorgnab, the Head of Agribusiness at Stanbic Bank, has emphasized the critical need for Ghana to commercialize food crop production as a means to combat food insecurity in the country. He delivered this message during his address at the 12th Ghana Economic Forum (GEF), held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

Speaking on the topic “Ensuring Food Sustainability and Security: A Call for a New Perspective on the Agricultural Value Chain System,” Yaw Njorgnab underscored the urgency of addressing Ghana's food security crisis with transformative action.

“It is sad that we are discussing the subject of food insecurity in a country that is blessed with vast arable land. We need to re-think our development models and prioritize agriculture as the main driver of the economy. Commercializing agriculture is key to making Ghana food secure and we should be deliberate on this and focus on achieving just that,” he said.

Throughout his address, Njorgnab shared success stories from countries that have effectively commercialized their agriculture sectors. He pointed to Ghana's own cocoa industry as an example, which has grown to become one of the world's leading cocoa producers due to a strong emphasis on commercialization.

The Stanbic Bank Executive also called for a renewed commitment to fostering collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders in the agricultural sector to ensure a more food-secure future. Agriculture should no longer be perceived as a subsistence or low-income activity, “Yaw Njorgnab stressed. “It must evolve into a vibrant, modern industry that offers economic opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs, and investors.”

The annual Ghana Economic Forum is a corporate event put together to engage corporate Ghana in a panel deliberation on issues affecting the Ghanaian economy and hopefully offer useful solutions and recommendations in favor of accelerated economic growth of the economy.

The event is tailored and structured to offer in-depth analysis, discussions, and debate on key issues affecting the Ghanaian economy and to suggest solutions to help overcome the challenges in order to enhance the achievement of the country’s economic development agenda.

The 12th edition was held under the theme “Building Back Better: IMF Support, Strategies to Build a Sustainable Economy and Dynamic Business Environment.”