Renowned agricultural scientist Professor Roger Kanton has called on the government to prioritise the revitalisation of food processing factories across the country to boost value addition in the agricultural sector.

According to him, this move would strengthen the agriculture industry, create more value for farmers, and significantly reduce post-harvest losses.

“Revive food processing facilities such as the sugar factory, tomato factory, rice factories, and meat factories to add value to our farm produce and reduce waste,” he was quoted as saying by Citi Newsroom on June 19, 2025.

He criticised the neglect of various factories that were established by previous governments and leaders.

Professor Kanton cited the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) and One-Village-One-Factory initiatives, arguing that their promised benefits have yet to be fully realised or felt in the Ghanaian economy.

There have been renewed calls for the revival of factories such as the Komenda Sugar Factory, which has remained dormant for several years.

“How do you build local industries when you’re discouraging people who invest in food processing factories? You talk about One-District-One-Factory or One-Village-One-Factory, yet you can’t even maintain the ones that were established in the past, especially those built under Kwame Nkrumah. None is operational. Why is that the case?” he questioned.

The agricultural expert, however, praised the government's broader efforts to reset the economy, highlighting the agriculture sector as a key area of focus.

“There’s much more to be done to reset the agriculture sector, and I’m hopeful that under the government’s Resetting Agenda, this will be given serious attention,” he added.

SSD/MA