Agribusinesses in Ghana should take a broader approach to investment, integrating production, inputs, research and other stages of the agricultural value chain, according to agribusiness professional Gladys Sampson. Speaking at the Ecobank-Joy Business Financial Dialogue Series on 22 September, she said concentrating resources on a single area could isolate businesses and limit their ability to meet wider objectives.
Investment must extend beyond assets
Sampson said land, products and industrial machinery remain important, but do not by themselves provide a complete growth strategy. Businesses that commit resources mainly to one component of the value chain may struggle to connect their activities with the wider commercial system around them. Her argument is that investment should support the links between stages, rather than treating production, processing, inputs and other activities as separate interests. For businesses seeking finance, the transferable point is that a proposal can be assessed not only by the assets it will acquire, but also by how those assets fit into the wider chain and contribute to sustainable growth.
Research is part of the business case
The speaker also highlighted research as an area that often receives less attention than production and inputs. She said researchers contribute to developing new solutions and improving productivity, making them an integral part of agribusiness investment strategies. This broadens the meaning of value-chain investment: it is not limited to physical infrastructure or the immediate delivery of goods, but can include work that improves how the sector operates over time. Sampson’s comments suggest that financing plans should account for research alongside land, machinery and production, particularly where new methods or solutions are needed to support growth.
Dialogue focuses on finance across agriculture
The Ecobank-Joy Business Financial Dialogue Series was held under the theme “Green Finance, Real Impact: Powering Inclusive Agri-Growth in Ghana”. It brought together agricultural SMEs, entrepreneurs, regulators and other stakeholders to discuss financing and sustainable growth. The discussions are examining practical ways to mobilise capital for businesses operating at different points in the agricultural value chain. In May 2026, Ecobank Group and AGRA announced a partnership aimed at improving access to finance for agribusinesses, farmer organisations and other actors through tailored financial products, risk-sharing mechanisms and blended finance. Sampson’s contribution places that financing agenda within a broader investment model.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Speaker | Gladys Sampson, an agribusiness professional |
| Event | Ecobank-Joy Business Financial Dialogue Series |
| Date | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 |
| Theme | Green Finance, Real Impact: Powering Inclusive Agri-Growth in Ghana |
| Investment areas named | Land, products, industrial machinery and research |
| Partnership announced | Ecobank Group and AGRA announced an agribusiness finance partnership in May 2026 |
To make the business grow you need to look at the entire value chain.
WHY IT MATTERS
A value-chain approach changes how agricultural investment is framed. It connects physical assets and production with research, finance and the other stages needed to support sustainable growth, giving businesses and financiers a wider basis for assessing proposals.
Reported from myjoyonline.com, 2026-09-22. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
