24-Hour Economy targets greenhouses, cold storage and air cargo to transform horticulture
Government is positioning the 24-hour economy as a major driver of Ghana’s horticulture industry, with plans to link greenhouse production to cold storage, logistics and export markets.
The government of Ghana is leveraging the 24-hour economy to bolster the country's horticulture sector, focusing on greenhouses, cold storage, logistics, and export markets. Presidential Advisor Augustus "Goosie" Obuadum Tanoh explained that merely producing horticultural goods is insufficient for a thriving industry; a robust ecosystem must interlink production, processing, logistics, and markets, bolstered by financial support, standards, skills, and technology.
The 24-hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Program aims to establish these connections, with the government's Shiqpon program set to link greenhouse production and micro-irrigated crops to aggregation, cold storage, and markets.
Additionally, plans are underway to enhance logistics for high-value exports, such as cut flowers, vegetables, and fruits, through the establishment of the Tamale Air Cargo Hub. This hub will facilitate the transportation of these goods to international markets, including Europe and West Africa, via airlift. The 24-hour Economy Secretariat is also collaborating with a private sector partner to develop a cut-flower corridor along the Daboya-Singa pathway, aiming to capitalize on Kenya's successful flower export model.
Kenya generated $556 million from flower exports last year, while Ghana exported $75 million worth of mangoes in 2024. Despite having a domestic market for horticultural products, Ghana continues to import goods it could produce competitively. Tanoh highlighted that Ghana could emulate Kenya's approach to responding to international demand, including contracting additional cargo aircraft to transport flowers for Valentine's Day.
The government's initiatives also encompass the Volta Economic Corridor, which aims to integrate agricultural production, industrial development, and logistics along the Volta Lake, with a focus on renewable energy, climate-smart practices, efficient land and water use, ecological restoration, and waste reduction.
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