After spending nearly 30 years abroad, the 2024 National Best Farmer, Nana Owusu Achiaw Brempong, returned home to Ghana to pursue agriculture, a move that has inspired many Ghanaians in the diaspora. His journey has sparked growing interest, with several diasporans now seeking his guidance, and some already relocating to begin their own farming ventures.
Beyond influencing Ghanaians abroad, Nana Brempong, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of North American Farms, has become a role model for young people in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region.
Driven by his passion for youth development, he has established an outgrower programme that supports young farmers with land, improved seeds, fertiliser, chemicals and, in some cases, cash. He fully finances production, while beneficiaries manage the farms. After harvest, he buys the produce at market price, deducts his investment, and shares the profit equally with each participating farmer.
Nana Brempong is urging government and well-resourced individuals to adopt this model to draw more young people into agriculture — especially since it allows them to earn significant income without the burden of upfront costs. Already, 20 young farmers, each with 10 acres, are benefiting under this arrangement.
Reflecting on the future of farming in Ghana as he ends his tenure, he called on government to invest heavily in agricultural machinery to make the sector more attractive to young people. He stressed that modern farming cannot rely on rudimentary tools, noting that many smallholder farmers struggle to sustain themselves.
He also appealed for subsidised inputs for commercial farmers, pointing out that in other countries, farmers benefit from fuel subsidies for machinery, while local farmers in Ghana buy fuel at full retail price. Citing his own experience, he revealed that he spent over one million cedis on diesel this year alone.
On the issue of galamsey, Nana Brempong expressed concern that Ghana was turning away from its natural advantage in agriculture, losing fertile lands, forests and water bodies to illegal mining. He warned that if this continues, the country could one day be forced to import basic essentials such as drinking water.
Despite these concerns, he commended government’s commitment to agriculture and acknowledged the role of key leaders, including the President, who are farmers themselves. He also praised the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, for his effective leadership, especially during the award process.
Nana Brempong further disclosed that although he received a dummy cheque for one million Ghana cedis as part of his award, it took about eight to nine months before the prize was finally released.
