We are excited to welcome Mrs. Juliana Ofori-Karikari as the new TeamLeader for the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme Phase II (GPSCP II)!
Juliana brings to the role over 39yearsofexperience in finance, banking, investment, and enterprise development. With a rich career spanning institutions like UMBBank and GIZ ComCashew/MOVE, she has held leadership roles across finance, credit risk, and business development—working across six West African countries to strengthen SME competitiveness in agro-processing sectors like cashew and rice.
Her deep understanding of financial systems, business structure, and market linkages makes her an invaluable asset to the GPSCP II mission of supporting inclusive, sustainable growth through private sector partnerships.
A passionate advocate for enterprise growth, Juliana is also known for mentoring young professionals and supporting capacity building through financial literacy and advisory services.
Please join us in welcoming Juliana to the team as we continue to drive innovation, resilience, and competitiveness in Ghana’s agribusiness sector!
The project team from GPSCP II proudly participated in the 9th Regional Meeting of the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative (ASCI) held in Accra. This event was organized by our Program’s implementing partner, Proforest, and facilitated by our Strategic Cooperation Partnership Expert, Afua Prempeh. The landmark event brought together representatives from ten West and Central African countries to reaffirm their dedication to sustainable and inclusive agricultural production.
ASCI serves as a pan-African platform built on a shared set of principles for the responsible production of agricultural commodities. It promotes forest protection, good governance, and transparency while ensuring that farmers, local communities, and marginalized groups benefit from agricultural value chains—particularly as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) begins to reshape market requirements.
This year’s regional meeting focused on developing new strategies and partnerships to empower smallholder farmers against economic and environmental shocks and to align national frameworks with the EUDR, ensuring African commodities remain competitive and sustainable in global markets.
We were honored by the presence of Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, who was the Keynote speaker and he underscored the government’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and regional collaboration.
The Program’s Value Chain and Business Development Expert, Stephen Debre, also played a key role by moderating a session on Responsible Investment and Implications for Smallholder Development and International Trade in Oil Palm Products.
Our participation reflects GPSCP II’s ongoing commitment to driving sustainability, enhancing climate resilience, and promoting farmer-centered development across the region.
In early April, the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Program II (GPSCP II) welcomed a high-level joint mission comprising officials from SECO headquarters and representatives from NIRAS headquarters. The visit marked a pivotal opportunity to engage in substantive discussions on the Program’s performance, achievements to date, and strategic reflections for the future.
Throughout the mission, participants met with key public sector stakeholders critical to advancing the Program’s work in strengthening Ghana’s business environment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the cashew and oil palm value chains. Among the notable engagements were discussions with Hon. Sampson Ahi, Deputy Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, as well as Ebenezer A. Nortey, Head of the EU/Europe/Americas Unit at the Ministry of Finance.
The delegation also convened with Hon. Andy Osei Okrah, the newly appointed CEO of the Tree Crops Development Authority, to review progress and reaffirm the Program’s ongoing support under the Strategic Cooperation Partnership (SCP) framework.
Beyond public sector dialogue, the mission engaged a wide array of stakeholders within both value chains, including representatives from private sector associations such as OPDAG and CCG, as well as Proforest, the key Program partner. Field visits to two Grant Beneficiaries Homefoods Ltd., operating in oil palm processing, and Bioko Treats, a cashew processor offered an on-the-ground perspective into the dynamic evolution of value chain development and the challenges SMEs continue to navigate.
The mission underscored the GPSCP II’s commitment to building a robust and inclusive ecosystem for Ghana’s agribusiness sectors, and reinforced collaborative efforts aimed at driving sustainable growth, innovation, and competitiveness.
In a decisive move toward strengthening Ghana’s agricultural competitiveness, stakeholders convened today in Accra for the Second Program Steering Committee Meeting of the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II (GPSCP II). The gathering marked a pivotal moment in the country’s effort to drive sustainable growth in the cashew and oil palm value chains.
The meeting, chaired by Dr. Solomon Gyan Ansah, Director of Crop Services at Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, provided a platform to review the program’s implementation strategy, share key progress updates, and map out the path forward.
“Today’s meeting underscores our collective commitment to building a more competitive and resilient agricultural sector,” Dr. Ansah stated in his opening remarks. “By strengthening the cashew and oil palm value chains, we not only enhance trade performance but also improve livelihoods and foster inclusive economic development.”
Launched in January 2024, GPSCP II is a bilateral initiative supported by the Government of Ghana and Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It is jointly implemented by NIRAS and Proforest, with a mission to build a vibrant, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive agribusiness landscape in Ghana.
The Programme team presented several significant milestones achieved since the inaugural committee meeting, including the launch of a grant facility supporting women-led and processing-focused SMEs in the tree crop sector. The updates demonstrated how the program is tangibly contributing to enhancing private sector competitiveness and value addition across both industries.
Participants at the meeting including representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Tree Crops Development Authority, SECO, NIRAS, Proforest, and other sector stakeholders engaged in collaborative discussions, offering expert insights and actionable recommendations.
The committee emphasized the importance of maintaining alignment between field-level realities and national development priorities. Key topics included promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, supporting gender equity in agribusiness, and deepening partnerships with the private sector.
GPSCP II’s multi-stakeholder steering committee structure ensures that the voices of public institutions, private actors, and development partners are heard throughout the program’s implementation. Today’s session reaffirmed the importance of coordinated, data-driven, and inclusive approaches to ensure long-term impact.
As Ghana continues its push to transform agriculture into a powerful engine for growth, meetings like these provide not only strategic guidance but also a renewed sense of shared purpose.
The Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Program II (GPSCP II) got off to a great start in Accra last year. ⭐ Funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, the bilateral program aims to contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth through enhanced trade and competitiveness in the cashew and oil palm value chains. 👩🏿🌾
Attended by close to 100 participants, the GPSCP II launch event featured representatives from SECO, the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, HE Simone Giger, Minister for Trade & Industry, Hon. K.T. Hammond, Deputy Minister for Food & Agriculture, Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo, CEO of Tree Crops Development Authority, Hon. William Quaittoo and a Director from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mrs. Doris Agyei-Henaku. 👏🏿
Also in attendance were the Project Director for GPSCP II (Karen Smith from NIRAS), Team Leader for GPSCP II (Ebenezer Ato Obu S., who formerly led a NIRAS-implemented Challenge Fund investing in skills development in Ghana) and Africa Regional Director for Proforest (Abraham Baffoe) and other development partners and stakeholders including from the private sector.
NIRAS is partnering on the implementation of GPSCP II with Proforest, an NGO that supports companies throughout supply chains to have positive social and environmental outcomes in the places where commodities are produced. By building on the achievements of the first phase of GPSCP, phase II aims at continuously improving the enabling environment for the cashew and palm oil sectors. 🌴 Gender and ESG considerations are also at the heart of programme design and implementation. The GPSCP II will deliver its mandate using three implementation modalities:
💡 Strategic Cooperation Partnership: set up to strengthen the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), with its mandate of regulating the cashew and oil palm sectors and facilitate high-impact reform;
💡 Rapid Response Mechanism: a fund through which Ministries, Departments, and Agencies under the Government of Ghana can access financial support to align and advance reform efforts that generate systemic benefits for the market systems of cashew and oil palm;
💡 Development Partnership with the Private Sector: a matching grant fund for the private sector to strengthen processing, market linkages, service provision, sector associations, access to finance, and skills development in the cashew and oil palm value chains.
“Taking the GPSCPII to the next level necessitates strong partnerships among relevant ministries, agencies as well as between private and public actors. We urge all stakeholders to actively participate in coordination efforts to contribute to the program’s success,” H.E Simone Giger said. “Let yourselves be inspired by Switzerland – where we have a rich tradition of deliberation, dialogue and cooperation.”
The Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II (GPSCP II), implemented jointly by NIRAS International Consulting and Proforest and funded by the SECO Economic Cooperation and Development, recently supported 17 cashew processing managers at the Africa Cashew Alliance’s (ACA) Masters Training Programme (MTP). This initiative is part of the Programme’s Development Partnership with the Private Sector (DPP) mechanism, aimed at enhancing the capabilities of local private sector actors in the cashew industry, particularly those involved in processing. The training, which spanned three sessions, took place from May to August 2024 in Accra and Sunyani, Ghana, as well as in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire. 📖
The MTP included both classroom instruction and field visits, providing a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange. The curriculum covered various aspects of the cashew market organisation, the role of Master Trainers, the development of planting materials, best agricultural practices and the organisation of the cashew processing sector, along with cross-cutting issues such as GESI and environmental climate change. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Wenchi Agricultural Research Station, where they engaged in practical experiences that complemented the theoretical discussions held during the training sessions. 💡
A concerted effort was made to engage female processors in the MTP, resulting in 10 out of the 17 participants being women. Increasing female participation in the cashew value chain – particularly at managerial levels – is a key objective for GPSCPII and is aligned to SDG 5.5, which promotes women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in all decision-making processes across political, economic and public spheres. 👩🏾🏫
Evelyn Ahiagbebu, Supervisor at Agroking Cashew Processing Limited, said: “This training has taught me that every component of the cashew fruit can be utilised. Additionally, from the gender session, I discovered that women have greater prospects in secondary processing since it requires less capital than primary processing.”
As for Joseph Kwasi Sie, Lead Supervisor at Kabile Co-operative Cashew Farmers and Processors Society Limited, he said: “I was initially unfamiliar with the process of cashew apple processing, but this training has provided me with essential skills that I can now apply at Kabile Co-operative.”
This collaborative initiative is one of the many efforts that GPSCPII is undertaking to foster a supportive environment for the cashew value chain, ultimately aiming to boost productivity and competitiveness in the sector. ✅
Some months ago, The Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II (GPSCP II), conducted a due diligence visit to 24 processing companies specialising in cashew and oil palm in the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern and Bono Regions of Ghana. This initiative is a key component of the Programme’s Development Partnership with the Private Sector (DPP) Grant Fund processes.
The DPP Fund serves as a co-financing facility that provides grants and technical assistance, tackling the long-standing issue of access to finance 💸 that has hindered the growth of agribusinesses in Ghana for decades. This initiative aims to support and co-finance private sector projects focussed on enhancing processing, establishing market connections, providing services such as certification and quality assurance, and fostering skills development within the cashew and oil palm value chains. 🌱 By doing so, it creates an opportunity for inclusive and sustainable growth, boosting trade and increasing the competitiveness of the private sector.
The structure of the Fund empowers private sector companies and associations to take the lead in enhancing their own capabilities, efficiency, and sustainability as they seek funding to address critical challenges that affect their competitiveness. 📈
The processing facilities that were visited expressed a strong need for comprehensive support in several key areas to improve their operational efficiency and competitiveness in the market. They specifically sought assistance with business development services, certifications, training and equipment. ✅
In a landmark move to strengthen Ghana’s agricultural sector and empower women-led businesses, ten small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the cashew and oil palm industries have been selected to receive targeted grants under the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II (GPSCP II).
The Grant Award Signing Ceremony, held in Accra earlier this month, marks the first round of awards in a broader initiative aimed at boosting trade competitiveness and sustainable economic growth in Ghana. Of the ten (10) recipients, six(6) are women-led and owned—a significant step forward in promoting gender equity in Ghana’s agribusiness space.
GPSCP II is a bilateral initiative of the Government of Ghana and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland, jointly implemented by development consultancies NIRAS and Proforest. The program is designed to support actors in the cashew and oil palm value chains by enhancing processing capacity, improving sustainability practices, and promoting inclusive economic development.
“This event represents a significant achievement for GPSCP II since its launch in January 2024,” said Matej Dudak, the program’s Project Manager. “We remain committed to nurturing a supportive ecosystem for the cashew and oil palm sectors, with the goal of enhancing productivity and competitiveness.”
The grants fall under the program’s “Development Partnership with the Private Sector” mechanism, a strategic tool to deepen collaboration between public and private stakeholders. Through this mechanism, the selected enterprises and business associations will receive a tailored mix of technological support, business development services, and assistance in achieving sustainability certifications.
According to the program’s Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, Chrisveen Afun Davies, a second call for grants is expected in April 2025, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
“This initiative is not only about financial support,” Davies noted. “It’s about building capacity for long-term resilience—environmentally, economically, and socially.”
Dignitaries attending the ceremony emphasized the critical role of the private sector in transforming Ghana’s agriculture. They applauded the recipients for successfully navigating a competitive selection process and urged them to maximize the opportunity to strengthen their value chains.
Among those in attendance were the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Simone Giger, Chief Director for the Ministry of Food & Agriculture Paul Siameh, Tree Crops Development Authority CEO Andy Okrah, NIRAS Representative Jane Bech Larsen, and Proforest Executive Director Abraham Baffoe. Representatives from Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as key players from the cashew and oil palm sectors, also participated in the event.
The grants also prioritize environmental stewardship and climate resilience. In line with Ghana’s broader sustainable development goals, recipients are expected to implement climate-smart practices and ensure social inclusion in their business models.
With regional and global demand for tree crops on the rise, Ghana’s push to modernize and diversify its agro-industrial base could have significant economic implications. GPSCP II stands at the center of this transformation—one grant at a time.
