Sarah Rüffler is Portfolio Lead for Agribusiness at GIZ
Portfolio Lead for Agribusiness at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)-Ghana, Sarah Rüffler, has indicated that even though agriculture continues to employ more than 80 percent of Ghana’s labour force, only 20 percent of the country’s agricultural produce is processed locally.
She considers this worrying issue as a missed opportunity for value addition, employment and economic transformation.
“Through our interactions, one major challenge we identified is that value addition remains very low because only a fifth of agricultural produce is processed here,” she said. “This represents huge untapped potential for job creation and stronger competitiveness in the agribusiness sector,” she added.
She made these points in an interview at the Sustainable Employment Through Agribusiness Programme closing ceremony.
The programme – commissioned by BMZ and implemented by GIZ in collaboration with key national partners and support from GOPA AFC – aimed to coach producers and enterprise owners on business planning, financial management, product development, standards, certification and export-readiness.
It also forms part of Germany’s commitment to strengthening agribusiness productivity, competitiveness and job creation – signalling a renewed drive to deepen economic cooperation with Ghana for decades to come.
On challenges facing Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), Ms. Rüffler said that limited access to finance – especially for women-owned enterprises and businesses operating in northern parts of the country – was identified.
She further revealed the programme’s interventions helped them identify that the limited access to finance is due to improper bookkeeping and financial management – which influences eligibility for loans and investment.
Adding to the programme’s achievements, Company Manager-Sustainable Employment Through Agribusiness Programme, Elvis Mensah Bonsu, also noted the programme has created over 1,000 jobs in the MSMEs sector – stressing that most of these jobs were taken up by women and the youth.
“This aligns with GIZ’s commitment to inclusive growth,” he noted.
Mr. Mensah also indicated that the programme’s next phase, which begins in January 2026, will intensify support for agribusiness development, innovation and private sector-driven solutions.
He further explained that supply chain improvement remains key to agribusiness transformation – for which reason the programme has backed 37 enterprises to boost supply chain management and incorporated more inclusive business practices.
The company manager highlighted that through these supported enterprises, over 17,000 smallholder farmers have been linked to markets and provided with a seamless services such access to farm inputs, credit and mechanisation.
Improving finance access for women
To help solve the persistent financial exclusion faced by women entrepreneurs, notably those in the informal sector, the programme aided in establishing Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs).
This, to date, has brought together over 15,000 women across northern parts of Ghana, he asserted.
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