Mr James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister, has pledged upscaling sustained investments in equipment and technology towards supporting entrepreneurs and farmers to expand their businesses and create job opportunities for the teeming youth in the region.
He said mechanization of farms and provision of equipment to entrepreneurs has become capital and labour intensive and guaranteed government support and investors’ partnership would scale up such businesses.
Mr Gunu said this during a courtesy call to him by the Management of Ziavitutui Coffee and Beverages Company Limited to brief him on the Company’s profile, growth strategies, challenges and future.
He commended the zeal and innovation deployed by management in advancing the cultivation and processing of Coffee to rich local and international heights and recognition with himself, a strong advocate.
Mr Gunu emphasised his administration was exploring and harnessing avenues with institutions local and external towards making the Region an economic hub in consonance with its flagship initiative under the 24-Hour Economic programme with Ziavitutui Company fitting firmly into this game-plan.
He urged the Company and similar entities to seek support from the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), which offered funding and technical assistance to home-grown entrepreneurs and small-scale industries.
He pledged to facilitate the Company with vital state agencies such as Ghana Free Zones Authority, Ghana Export Promotion Authority and others to help the Company to upscale and explore external markets with the product.
He assured of liaising with the Foreign Ministry to seek support for the Ziavitutui product using the country’s missions abroad to pursue aggressive branding for the commodity.
He disclosed of having a dialogue with some Qatari investors, who are keen in coffee cultivation and production and described the courtesy call by the management of the entity as invigorating.
He announced that plans are afoot to reactivate the defunct coffee factory in Hohoe, all geared towards making the government’s flagship 24 Hour Economy practicable in the region.
He said the brand of the Ziavitutu coffee is unique, a premium and could be marketed further locally and internationally like Ghana’s cocoa.
He said an industrial park would soon be established to host entrepreneurs, whose inventions and products are making the waves a one-stop platform to produce and exhibit their products.
He said that Chiefs from the Ziavi Traditional Area have given indication of supporting government with tracts of land for commercial agricultural production to benefit the masses.
He was optimistic about establishing coffee joints at the regional capital and sought collaboration with hotels to agree to serve a cup of coffee over events.
Volta Regional Director of Agriculture (MoFA), Mr William Dzamefe said bold steps are being taken to revive its once-thriving coffee and cocoa industries, with local farmers, investors, and traditional authorities pledging renewed commitment to restoring the commodities that once defined the area’s agricultural identity.
He said the strategy is a unified vision to boost employment, enhance exports, and reclaim Volta’s place on Ghana’s cocoa map, noting that the region’s fertile environment is ideal for both crops.
He addressed land acquisition challenges that often hinder large-scale agricultural projects, urging farmers and entrepreneurs not to be discouraged but to conduct proper due diligence.
“What matters is our vision. Once we unite behind a clear goal, we can find land and bring coffee back not only to Ziavi but across the Volta Region.”
Mr Benjamin Horlali Kofi Atidjah, Chief Executive Officer of Ziavitutui Coffee and Beverages Company Limited said the area’s unique climate and skilled farmers once produced some of the finest coffee in Ghana, but interest waned after coffee was removed from the Ghana Cocoa Board’s regulatory oversight, which rendered the commodity orphaned.
However, growing global demand for coffee has sparked renewed interest. “The world wants more coffee, and Ghana can supply it. We have the conditions and the experience; we just need support and investment,” he stated.
The entrepreneur, also an agricultural economist disclosed that the Ghana Skills Development Fund provided machinery to support local processing.
“We now produce and package coffee for local sale and export. Our challenge is raw materials. We need more farms to meet high demand,” he added.
He called for stronger investment and government backing to secure land and infrastructure, saying “We have a detailed plan to develop thousands of acres for coffee cultivation, but we cannot do it alone. We need investors and government facilitation,” he appealed.
Highlighting the social and health benefits of coffee, Dr Kofi Debrah, Board Chair of the Company added: “Beyond profit, coffee promotes wellness and community growth. Visitors should taste our coffee; it’s a reflection of the Volta soil and spirit. The more people appreciate it, the more jobs we create.”
GNA
