Speaking at the Citi Business Forum on the theme Harnessing Agribusiness for Economic Growth: Expanding Ghana’s Agribusiness Frontiers, Prof. Kanton stressed the need for practical steps to add value to local produce through sustainable agro-industrial development.

“Revive food processing facilities such as the sugar factory, tomato factory, rice factories, and meat factories to add value to our farm produce and reduce waste,” he said.

He questioned the commitment to industrialisation, noting that past efforts such as One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) and One-Village-One-Factory have not translated into the revitalisation of once-functional state-established factories.

“How do you build local industries when you are killing people who put their money in factories that are processing food in the country?” he asked.

“You talk about One-District-One-Factory, or One-Village-One-Factory, but you can’t even maintain the ones that were established in the past, especially by Kwame Nkrumah. None is operating. Why is that the case?”

Prof. Kanton cited several examples, including the Komenda Sugar Factory, rice mills in Bawku and Tamale, and cotton processing facilities, all of which he said are lying dormant despite their strategic importance to the agriculture value chain.

He expressed hope that the government’s proposed Resetting Agenda will include a comprehensive overhaul of the agriculture sector, particularly in restoring the country’s agro-industrial base.

“There is more to reset in the agric sector, and I am hoping that under the government’s Resetting Agenda, they will look at that,” he added.