Total cultivated area in Ghana 2020, by crop type

In 2020, the area used to cultivate maize in Ghana reached 523,530 hectares, the largest compared to other food crops, and nearly thrice the extent used to grow rice. As of the same year, vegetables were produced over an area of around 45,800 thousand hectares. Overall, the main crops grown in Ghana covered a total expanse of approximately 795,000 hectares. The area equipped for irrigation stretched over 223,000 hectares.

Roots and tubers in the production lead

Small-scale farming is a major practice in Ghana, particularly in rural communities. In 2019, the country’s crop production index stood at 118.58, representing a steady rise since 2007. This gradual increase is reflected in the over 48.7 million metric tons of primary crops produced in 2020. Root crops accounted for the largest share of the production volume. Specifically, in 2020, cassava production amounted to approximately 22.7 million metric tons. In the same year, the quantity of yam produced added up to 8.3 million metric tons.

The country depends mainly on fertilizer imports

Fertilizer is used in Ghana for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes, although the usage volume for the former exceeds that of the latter. In 2019, around 425,000 metric tons of the country’s fertilizer was used in agricultural production, while industries and mines used only about 90,300 metric tons. In the same year, Ghana imported approximately 425,000 metric tons of fertilizer, meaning that the total quantity imported was used for agricultural purposes. Russia and Norway were Ghana’s leading suppliers of fertilizer.