Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) PLC has launched the Green-Grow Vegetable Farmers Lending Scheme to improve smallholder farmers’ access to structured finance and increase domestic vegetable production in Ghana.
The first phase has selected eligible smallholder vegetable farmers operating under irrigation in the Greater Accra and Volta regions, with allocated funds disbursed to them. ADB plans to extend the initiative to other parts of the country.
The scheme is intended to address farmers’ limited access to affordable and timely credit for purchasing inputs, raising productivity and improving returns. It also supports ADB’s wider focus on agricultural transformation, financial inclusion and sustainable agribusiness, while strengthening its role as a financing partner in Ghana’s food production efforts.
Edward Ato Sarpong, Managing Director of ADB PLC, said the bank was committed to supporting productive sectors, particularly agriculture.
“Ghana’s agricultural transformation must be driven by deliberate investments that empower farmers to produce more, earn more, and contribute meaningfully to national development. Through the Green-Grow initiative, ADB is expanding its agricultural financing mandate. We believe that when farmers succeed, communities prosper, businesses grow, and the national economy becomes stronger,” Mr Sarpong said.
He said the initiative demonstrated ADB’s intention to move beyond traditional banking by creating innovative and commercially sustainable financial products tailored to agricultural producers. He also stressed the need to increase domestic food production and build a more resilient sector capable of responding to changing market demands.
Finance tailored to production
Prof. Ferdinand Makafui Ahiakpor, ADB PLC’s Deputy Managing Director in charge of Services, described Green-Grow as a strategic response to the financing gap across Ghana’s agricultural value chain.
“Access to appropriate financing remains a critical factor in unlocking the full potential of Ghana’s agricultural sector. Green-Grow represents a practical approach to making agricultural credit more accessible, structured and responsive to the realities of smallholder vegetable farmers. Our objective is to support viable agricultural enterprises, improve productivity and create sustainable economic opportunities across farming communities,” Prof. Ahiakpor said.
He said the scheme’s lending structure would match finance to farmers’ production cycles while encouraging responsible credit management and long-term financial sustainability.
Focus on irrigated vegetable producers
ADB PLC General Manager for Agribusiness, Kwame Asiedu Attrams, said the initiative followed early field engagements with farmers in selected communities in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions.
Those discussions identified promising opportunities among irrigated vegetable producers with established farming experience, market connections and strong repayment prospects.
“Our engagements with farmers revealed enormous production potential that is being constrained by inadequate access to financing and the high cost of credit. Green-Grow has been carefully designed to address these challenges by providing structured credit support to eligible farmers,” Mr Attrams said.
“By connecting financing to viable production activities, we aim to help farmers improve yields, expand their operations and take advantage of emerging market opportunities,” he added.
The pilot will initially focus on vegetable production, taking account of seasonal conditions and market demand. Eligibility will depend on factors including access to irrigation, farming experience, group cohesion and a satisfactory credit history.
ADB said the scheme was another step towards strengthening agricultural value chains, supporting commercially viable farms and creating economic opportunities for farmers, businesses and communities across Ghana.
