Ghana secures $500M World Bank loan to upgrade farm-to-market roads and curb food loss

The World Bank approved a $500 million project to rehabilitate over 1,000 km of rural roads in Ghana, aiming to cut post-harvest losses, improve food supply chains, and create 25,000 short-term jobs. The five-year initiative covers nine regions producing maize, rice, yam, and cassava.

The World Bank, the multilateral development lender, approved a $500 million financing package for Ghana to overhaul rural road connectivity in key agricultural regions. The Ghana Market Access and Connectivity Project (GMACP) will rehabilitate and maintain more than 1,000 km of feeder roads across nine regions, including Upper West, Northern, and Ashanti, where smallholder farmers grow maize, rice, yam, and cassava — staples critical to national food security. Implemented over five years by Ghana’s Ministry of Roads and Highways, the project aims to cut transport costs and travel times, providing all-season market access.

The Bank expects over 550,000 direct beneficiaries, of whom 350,000 are farmers, and around 25,000 short-term jobs through civil works and maintenance. Poor road conditions have long inflated logistics costs and caused heavy post-harvest losses, raising consumer food prices and limiting rural incomes. By linking production areas to urban markets, the GMACP is designed to strengthen agricultural value chains, improve supply reliability, and support Ghana’s food security and competitiveness goals.

The project also operationalizes the Road Maintenance Trust Fund and adopts Performance-Based Contracts to ensure long-term sustainability. Climate-resilient design standards will be applied to drainage and road structures, while technical assistance builds institutional capacity. For agribusiness investors, food processors, and logistics operators, the improved connectivity promises more consistent raw material supply, reduced spoilage, and opportunities for value-added processing. Stabilising domestic food prices and reducing import dependence could create a more predictable environment for food companies and traders. The injection of 25,000 jobs may also lift rural purchasing power, opening new consumer markets.