Agric Minister calls on Ato Forson to reverse Ghana’s withdrawal from World Bank food programme

Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku has urged the Ministry of Finance to reverse Ghana’s proposed withdrawal from the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), warning that the decision has placed more than GH¢643 million in existing contractual commitments and critical agricultural activities at risk.

In a letter to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson dated September 28, 2026, Mr Opoku said the Ministry of Finance notified the World Bank on September 23 of Ghana’s intention to withdraw from the programme without prior consultation with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).

The World Bank subsequently directed the FSRP implementation team to suspend a range of activities and procurement under the programme.

According to MoFA, outstanding obligations for agricultural infrastructure works under the FSRP amount to GH¢643,867,633.36.

Of the total, GH¢520,257,975.43 relates to financing from the International Development Association (IDA), while GH¢123,609,657.93 is linked to the FS2030 Trust Fund.

Mr Opoku cautioned that notifying the World Bank of Ghana’s withdrawal would not automatically remove the government’s obligations under contracts that have already been signed.

“Without an alternative funding plan, Government may have to meet payments from other resources,” the letter stated, warning that suspending or terminating ongoing works could result in delays, additional costs and possible contractual claims.

MoFA said rehabilitation works at the Weta, Vea and Kpong irrigation schemes, as well as selected inland valleys, could be affected by the suspension.

The FSRP is designed to strengthen food-system resilience, improve agricultural productivity and enhance food security. In Ghana, its interventions include irrigation development, inland valleys, climate-smart agriculture, seed production, tomato support and poultry initiatives.

The ministry said the World Bank, in an email dated September 24, directed the project team to pause activities and procurement financed through the IDA credit and Recipient-Executed Trust Funds.

The Bank also directed a halt to procurement and implementation of tomato seed and micro-irrigation activities funded through a Norwegian grant.

MoFA warned that delays to those activities could cause farmers to miss seasonal planting windows, potentially affecting production and delaying the expected benefits of the interventions.

The suspension has also affected activities linked to the government's Feed Ghana programme.

According to MoFA, recruitment has been halted for the Feed Ghana Brigade, an adviser to the ministry's Network Operations Centre and a data analyst.

Further digitisation, farmer registration and support for the Feed Ghana Secretariat have also been suspended.

The ministry said the stoppages could delay systems required to identify farmers, target beneficiaries and monitor the delivery of agricultural support, while also limiting coordination of activities in the field.

“Taken together, these directives place the implementation of Feed Ghana, a flagship Government programme and a commitment in the National Democratic Congress manifesto, under immediate pressure,” the letter stated.

The FSRP's official procurement records show that the programme had been supporting activities linked to Feed Ghana, including recruitment of personnel and brigade members.

Mr Opoku has urged the Finance Ministry to formally retract its September 23 notification to the World Bank and seek written clearance before the affected activities are allowed to resume.

He said the Bank-directed suspension should remain in place until the necessary clearance is obtained.

The Agriculture Ministry is also calling for an urgent reconciliation between the two ministries on existing contractual commitments, outstanding payments and activities affected by the suspension.

Following that process, MoFA wants the government to engage the World Bank on an arrangement that would protect ongoing works and allow implementation to resume.

The ministry also asked that financing for the Pwalugu project be pursued through an arrangement that does not jeopardise Ghana's existing FSRP commitments or agricultural interventions affected by the suspension.

Ghana's FSRP2 programme has a financing envelope of US$100 million and is being implemented as part of the World Bank's regional programme to strengthen food-system resilience and agricultural markets.