Less talk, More action: Turning Ghana’s horticulture potential into investment

In Ghana’s drive for a stronger agricultural sector, lower import dependence and more inclusive economic growth, horticulture is emerging as one of the most promising sectors for partnership between Ghana and the Netherlands.

At the forefront of that partnership is H.E. Jeroen Verheul, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana, whose leadership has helped give this collaboration clear direction and practical momentum.

Over the past four years, the Netherlands has worked closely with Ghanaian partners to support the horticulture sector through farmer training, skills development, stronger business networks and dialogue on the enabling environment.

These are important building blocks. But at the annual Horticulture Business Forum on 12 February 2026 in Accra, Ambassador Verheul made a simple and timely point: the next step must be investment.

Addressing a room filled with farmers, agribusinesses, financial institutions, government representatives and development partners, the Ambassador called for a move from discussion to action.

Ghana’s horticulture sector, he stressed, has enormous potential to create jobs, improve nutrition, strengthen local production and reduce reliance on imports. But for that potential to be realised, businesses and producers along the value chain need better access to finance.

His message was clear. It is no longer enough to talk about challenges. The time has come to back solutions, scale what works and connect finance more directly to the entrepreneurs, cooperatives and companies already building the sector.

That message reflects Ambassador Verheul’s broader contribution in Ghana. Under his leadership, the Embassy has sharpened its focus on sectors where Dutch knowledge and Ghanaian ambition meet in a truly mutual partnership, especially cocoa and horticulture.

In these sectors, the goal is not aid for its own sake, but collaboration that makes economic sense for both countries and helps Ghana build a more resilient and competitive future.

The February forum on Access to Finance in Horticulture was one strong example of our shared vision in action under the leadership of H.E. Jeroen Verheul, whose passion and commitment have helped deepen the bilateral relationship between Ghana and the Netherlands.

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