Yokohama: In a significant development for Ghana's agricultural sector, Degas Limited has announced a $100 million investment aimed at transforming the nation into Africa's first AI-powered agricultural hub. This ambitious plan was revealed during a meeting between Degas Limited CEO and Founder, Mr. Doga Makiura, and President John Dramani Mahama at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum, held on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama, Japan.
According to Ghana News Agency, the investment is expected to significantly expand a model that has already provided financial support to over 86,000 smallholder farmers across 122,000 acres nationwide. "Ghana has shown that when technology meets a clear national vision, smallholder farmers can thrive," Mr. Makiura stated, emphasizing the transformative potential of this investment.
The $100 million commitment aims to scale AI-driven satellite monitoring and precision agriculture techniques, enabling farmers to boost yields, reduce risks, and access fairly priced finance. Mr. Makiura noted that the platform has already led to doubled incomes and boasts a 95 percent repayment rate from farmers, highlighting the success of the initiative.
Degas Limited's platform leverages AI-driven satellite monitoring and advanced agriculture techniques, drawing significant interest from Japanese investors. "Many Japanese partners now consider Ghana's integrated approach the gold standard for agricultural investment in Africa," Mr. Makiura remarked. He also pointed out that President Mahama's focus on value-chain integration aligns closely with Japan's pursuit of credible, scalable partnerships.
President Mahama welcomed the announcement, viewing it as a vote of confidence in Ghana's agricultural transformation agenda. "This investment reinforces our commitment to integrated agricultural value chains that connect farmers to markets, finance, storage, and processing," he stated. By leveraging AI and precision technologies, Ghana aims to improve productivity, enhance food security, and create dignified jobs for youth across rural communities.
The new funding will support the expansion of Degas' farmer financing, satellite-enabled crop monitoring, and precision agronomy services. It will also deepen partnerships across input supply, logistics, and offtake, thereby strengthening local value chains in Ghana's agricultural sector.
