The Volta Region is positioning itself for what could be its most economically significant month in recent memory, as two major national events converge in December to create unprecedented business opportunities. The 41st National Farmers’ Day celebration on Friday, December 5, 2025, will coincide with the Volta Trade and Investment Fair running from November 26 to December 8, creating a twelve-day window that stakeholders expect will inject fresh capital into the local economy.
National Farmers’ Day, themed “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future,” will cost an estimated GH¢20 million to stage, with a five-day National Agricultural Fair running from December 1 to 5 preceding the grand durbar. The timing isn’t coincidental. By hosting both events simultaneously, the region is creating what amounts to a two-week commercial festival that hotels, transport operators, and retail outlets are already preparing to capitalize on.
The Volta Trade and Investment Fair introduces Ghana’s first-ever 24-hour trade exhibition format, aligning with President John Mahama’s administration’s push for a 24-hour economy. That continuous trading model is expected to boost attendance, extend business hours, and maximize opportunities for business-to-business engagements. It’s the kind of innovation that could set a precedent for how Ghana hosts trade fairs moving forward.
Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku described the choice of Ho as both symbolic and strategic, noting the region’s rich agricultural heritage and the government’s commitment to balanced regional development. The Volta Region, home to over 1.6 million people, is known for producing maize, cassava, rice, yams, sweet potatoes, and various vegetables, alongside significant aquaculture operations.
The joint hosting aims to highlight the region’s role in Ghana’s agricultural transformation and attract investors across the agribusiness value chain, from production and processing to logistics and export. Confirmed exhibitors and participants include companies from Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Namibia, Kenya, India, and Malaysia, reflecting the fair’s growing international reach.
A central feature will be the first-ever Volta Investment Summit, where curated, bankable projects will be presented to investors. The summit represents exactly what many African trade events have historically lacked: a structured platform where concrete investment opportunities meet actual capital rather than just speeches and handshakes.
The timing aligns strategically with Ghana’s push to modernize agriculture under frameworks like Planting for Food and Jobs and the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Volta Region, with its established agricultural base, offers what Fred Avornyo, the fair’s Chief Executive Officer, described as strong potential for investment in processing, packaging, and export diversification.
Avornyo positioned the region as Ghana’s eastern gateway, noting it provides access to a market of more than 400 million people across Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon. That geographic advantage isn’t theoretical. The region sits at the crossroads of West Africa’s transport corridors, making it naturally suited for cross-border trade operations.
Organizers have already begun structured stakeholder engagements with financial institutions and the hospitality industry, focusing on how banks can support exhibitors and local small-to-medium enterprises through tailored products and payment solutions. Separate sessions with hoteliers centered on hospitality readiness, visitor experience standards, and accommodation capacity.
Those preparatory meetings reveal something important about this event’s organization. Rather than simply announcing a fair and hoping businesses show up, organizers are proactively coordinating support systems. That level of planning suggests they’re serious about creating lasting economic impact rather than just staging another ceremonial gathering.
The expected visitor influx during the two-week period has hotels and transport operators projecting strong activity. While exact attendance figures haven’t been disclosed, previous editions of the Volta Trade Fair have attracted thousands of visitors, and the addition of National Farmers’ Day festivities should significantly boost those numbers.
The fair will spotlight strategic sectors including agribusiness, tourism, information and communications technology, manufacturing, sustainability, and creative arts. Flagship events include forums on Women in Entrepreneurship, Youth in Entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and innovation, and creative arts and sports development.
What makes the convergence particularly significant is how it positions agriculture not as a traditional or backward sector but as a modern industry worthy of investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship. By hosting the trade fair and farmers’ day simultaneously, there’s an implicit message that farming can be technologically advanced, commercially viable, and attractive to young people.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Emelia Arthur noted that over three million Ghanaians depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods, with fish accounting for about 60 percent of national animal protein intake. Her ministry’s commitment to revitalizing marine and inland fisheries while expanding aquaculture production fits naturally into the trade fair’s agribusiness focus.
Regional Minister James Gunu, speaking on behalf of the Regional Coordinating Council and House of Chiefs, acknowledged challenges farmers have faced including erratic weather, pests, and market volatility. Those challenges underscore why events like this matter. They create platforms where farmers can access new technologies, financing options, and market linkages that help them navigate such difficulties.
However, there are questions about sustainability beyond the initial excitement. Trade fairs and agricultural shows often generate enthusiasm during the event but struggle to translate that into lasting business relationships and concrete investments. The true test will come in the months following December, when it becomes clear whether the connections made actually resulted in capital flows, technology transfers, or new market access.
The investment summit component could prove decisive. If organizers have genuinely curated bankable projects and attracted serious investors, the event could catalyze real economic activity. But if it’s primarily another talk shop with few follow-through mechanisms, the impact will be limited regardless of how impressive the attendance numbers look.
National Farmers’ Day, first celebrated in 1985, has evolved into one of Ghana’s most important national events, serving not only as a celebration but as recognition of farmers’ indispensable role in driving food security, job creation, and economic growth. The tradition of rotating host regions ensures different parts of the country receive national attention and investment in infrastructure and hospitality capacity.
For the Volta Region, hosting provides an opportunity to showcase development progress and attract future investment. But it also comes with pressure to deliver an event that lives up to expectations. With GH¢20 million being spent on Farmers’ Day alone, plus additional investments in the trade fair, stakeholders will be watching closely to assess whether the economic returns justify the expenditure.
The hospitality sector stands to benefit most immediately. Hotels in Ho and surrounding areas are already fielding inquiries about accommodation during the December period. Transport operators, restaurants, and retail outlets should similarly see increased business activity. The question is whether that short-term boost translates into sustained tourism and business travel to the region.
Tourism presents a longer-term opportunity. Pre-fair activities include a four-day curated tourism experience called “Visit Volta, Experience Ghana” scheduled for late September, designed to showcase the region’s cultural and ecological richness. If executed well, such initiatives could position the Volta Region more prominently on Ghana’s tourism map.
Stakeholders, traditional authorities, and private sector actors are expected to use these events to strengthen partnerships aimed at building resilient food systems and advancing inclusive rural industrialization. That’s the vision, at least. Whether the reality matches the ambition depends on implementation quality, follow-through on commitments made, and the ability to convert networking opportunities into concrete business outcomes.
For local entrepreneurs, the convergence of these events represents a rare opportunity to connect with potential partners, investors, and customers they might not otherwise access. Small-scale farmers can interact with equipment suppliers, processors, and exporters. Technology startups can pitch solutions to agricultural challenges. Artisans and creative professionals can showcase products to buyers with purchasing power.
The challenge for many local businesses will be readiness. Having access to investors means little if you don’t have a clear business proposition, financial projections, or understanding of what investors seek. The forums and summits planned during the fair should help address some of those gaps, but ultimately, businesses need to come prepared to make the most of the opportunities.
As December approaches, the Volta Region finds itself at a pivotal moment. The convergence of National Farmers’ Day and the Volta Trade and Investment Fair creates conditions for significant economic activity and partnership building. Whether those conditions translate into lasting economic transformation or simply a successful two-week event remains to be seen. But for now, businesses across the region are positioning themselves to capitalize on what could be their most commercially significant December in recent memory.
