Agriculture is an important sector in Ghana contributing 23% to GDP and 54% of national employment. However, the sector lags behind on its potential it could achieve regarding productivity and transformation of subsistence to low-value activities. Financial institutions currently are still hesitant to provide credits to farmers or agricultural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana because of the unpredictable (e.g. weather conditions), fragmented and unstructured nature of their agricultural activities.

Certified warehouses will provide farmers with the possibility to deposit their grains and be issued with a warehouse receipt as evidence that specified commodities are of stated quantity and quality and are deposited in a specific location. Such a receipt can then be used for getting a bank loan. The Warehouse Receipts System (WRS) project aims to provide farmers and SMEs in the agricultural sector with a functioning WRS and increased access to finance to enhance their revenues and promote financial inclusion. The project applies a comprehensive approach by intervening on a regulatory, systemic and capacity building level, to further improve warehouse receipts possibilities in Ghana. WRS will also address other important issues for agricultural actors such as storage losses and quality deterioration, suboptimal prices for goods due to early selling and non-availability of quality assurance.

Increased access to finance for agriculture value chain acotrs

Well functioning WRS through better management of warehouses, well-performing stakeholders and a robust regulatory system

Erwartete Resultate:  

Stakeholders and the Parliamentary sub-committees are aware of the warehouse receipts regulations

Electronic warehouse receipts and negotiable receipts developed

Legal and contractual framework for the management of leased warehouse infrastructure developed

Warehouse operators aware of the electronic receipt system and the regulation on managing leased warehouses

Adequate system for licensing, inspection and surveillance of the warehouse receipts system is set up

Support to the warehouse receipts system regulatory body provided

Implementation and usage of the electronic warehouse receipts system

Trainings and supporting documentation (e.g. manuals) on the functioning of the warehouse receipts system for farmers, government officials, bankers and warehouse operators developed