Ghana Seeds Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Market Overview

The Ghana seeds market is projected to register a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period (2021 - 2026). COVID-19 posed a severe threat to Ghana's seeds sector. One of the major problems that farmers dealt with was a lack of capital to acquire high-quality seeds, which help boost yields. Loans from the capital market set high interest rates, which meant that farmers could not plan and maximize production. Therefore, farmers used previously saved seeds from harvest to grow the next.

The seed sector in Ghana is characterized by major investments in the sector that promote breeding programs and support seed companies and agro-input dealers. Major initiatives have been initiated to make the seed value chains for maize and cowpea more professional. Although the MoFA (Ministry of Food and Agriculture) has privatized the seed production and supply system, only less than 5.0% of Ghanaian farmers are able to access improved seeds from approved sources. Corn and rice make up to 70.0% of the sales of certified seeds in Ghana.

Open-pollinated varieties dominate the Ghana seed sector. Data from the National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG) indicates that about 95.0% of the production of maize seeds in 2015 was open-pollinated varieties (OPV). Farmers who buy OPVs tend to save/reproduce seeds for at least two growing seasons.​ The Ghana seed industry is still in the early‐growth stage. and hence, there is significant room for growth. This poses an opportunity for private players to participate in developing newer varieties and improve the entire chain. Therefore, the seeds market is Ghana is anticipated to achieve notable growth over the forecast period.

Scope of the Report

A seed is the ripened fertilized ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo and is capable of germination to produce a new plant. For the purpose of this report, seeds used for sowing at the farmer level are included. In this report, market sizing has been done at the farmer's level. The Ghana seeds market is segmented by type (non-GM/hybrid, GM seeds, and open-pollinated varieties) and crop type (grains and cereals, pulses and oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, and other crop types).

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Key Market Trends

Growing Demand for Certified Seeds to Improve Productivity

Crops such as corn, rice, cowpea, soybean, sorghum, and peanut are mostly regulated for seed production in Ghana, among which corn and rice seeds form the bulk of certified seed production. For instance, according to the Seed Inspectorate Division, MOFA, in 2018, certified corn seed production reached 8,430 metric ton, up from 1,510 metric ton in 2017. Also, certified rice seed production in 2018 accounted for 5,200.0 metric ton, which was 881.0 metric ton in 2017. Furthermore, government initiatives such as subsidy programs are a prominent factor behind increased production. An increase in the production of all of the above-mentioned seeds was seen in 2019/20 due to the 50.0% subsidy for seed and fertilizer production implemented by the government of Ghana in 2017.

Corn is a staple food and plays a significant role in Ghana’s food security. The GOG exerts considerable pressure to ensure adequate corn production to meet the domestic consumption requirements. Therefore, maize hybrid seed use is increasingly becoming important for Ghana to reach its targeted corn production. Thus, the government policies promoting the development of the seed sector to ensure sufficient domestic production are expected to drive the market.

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