Commercial Seed Yam Production

Reasons to Invest in Seed Yam Production in Ghana

• Politically stable democratic government
• Positive business enabling environment
• Good and improving infrastructure, including roads, seaports and airports
• Access to West African, European, and American markets
• Low labor costs for farm operations
• Demand for increased production of yam
• Quality and preferred taste of Ghana yam
• Warm and friendly people Support of government, funding institutions and trusted partners MiDA and ADRA

Domestic and foreign investors will find a prime business opportunity in the Commercialization of Seed Yam Production.

Ghana is a leading yam exporter, having exported 20,841 metric tons of yams in 2008, but with increasing global demand for yams coming from Europe, the U.S. and neighboring African countries, there is potential for higher production and export volumes. Inadequate access and high cost of seed yam has prevented producers from expanding the area under yam cultivation, despite the availability of fertile land and demand for yam domestically and abroad.

Seed yam production does not currently exist on a commercial scale in Ghana. An incoming investor will have the opportunity to lead the development of the market with no competition from other participants and take advantage of early branding. An investor in seed yam production can begin an operation using a stock of yam tubers from his or her own production to ensure that yams are high- quality. The investor can then take advantage of new technologies to increase the quantity of available seed yam grown from this original stock and can sell seed to farmers. Increased access to seed yam will allow farmers to increase their production and access niche markets overseas for the globally preferred Ghana yam, profiting all actors along the value chain.

An investor in Ghana’s growing agribusiness sector will be supported by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). MiDA is an agency of the government of Ghana that is focused on increasing the production and productivity of high-value cash crops in specific intervention zones, including the Afram Basin where yam is a priority crop. MiDA’s Agriculture Project includes:

• Farmer and enterprise trainings to accelerate the development of commercial skills and capacity among Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) and their business partners
• Land tenure facilitation to ensure tenure security for land users and facilitate access to land for high-value crops
• Credit services to increase producers’ and investors’ access to credit for the improvement of value chain activities

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