President John Dramani Mahama has announced a renewed drive to make agricultural financing more affordable, warning that current lending rates are so steep that many farmers “work for the banks instead of themselves.”
Speaking at this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration on December 5, 2025, he said the government is prioritizing reforms that will push agricultural loan rates down to single-digit levels—below 10 percent—so producers can operate profitably and expand their businesses.
The President praised women working in farming and fishing for consistently raising the alarm about inequitable access to credit. Their advocacy, he noted, has helped shape the government’s decision to place fair financing at the center of its agricultural policy agenda.
Celebrated under the theme “Feed Ghana to Secure Our Future,” this year’s event highlighted the urgency of increasing domestic food production. With Ghana still spending close to three billion cedis on food imports annually, Mahama underscored the need to reduce reliance on foreign products and strengthen local capacity.
He added that lowering the cost of borrowing—especially for women—will be essential in building a resilient, self-sustaining food system capable of cutting imports and ensuring long-term food security.
