Ghana and Pennsylvania Forge New Agricultural Investment Pathways

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, together with Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness at the Presidency, has held a strategic meeting with David Briel, Senior Managing Director for International Trade and Investment of Pennsylvania. The meeting is to explore investment opportunities in Ghana’s agricultural sector and deepen bilateral cooperation. The engagement, which took place at Philadelphia City Hall, formed part of Ghana’s broader economic diplomacy efforts to position the country as a regional hub for agricultural production and agribusiness, with access to the wider African market. Ambassador Victor Smith highlighted Ghana’s strategic location, stable investment climate, and growing consumer market, describing the country as an ideal gateway for American agribusinesses seeking to expand into Africa. Particular attention was given to agricultural products in which Pennsylvania has established expertise, including dairy, vanilla and other value-added products. Mr Briel outlined how Pennsylvania-based businesses could expand into Ghana in mutually beneficial ways, supporting Ghana’s food security and agro-industrial development while enabling US companies to scale their operations and reach new markets across the continent. Food technology featured prominently in the discussions, with both sides examining opportunities for collaboration in modern farming systems, processing, storage, cold-chain logistics and agro-processing technologies. These innovations were identified as critical to improving productivity, reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing the competitiveness of Ghana’s agricultural exports. Dr Boamah Otokunor reaffirmed the Government of Ghana’s commitment to agriculture and agribusiness as a key pillar of national development, highlighting policies and initiatives aimed at attracting investment, encouraging technology transfer and creating sustainable jobs, particularly for young people. Ambassador Smith reiterated Ghana’s openness to partnerships that go beyond trade to include knowledge sharing, innovation and long-term value creation, noting that collaboration with Pennsylvania presents a strong opportunity to align expertise, markets and shared development goals.