The 14th edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show (GGFS) has opened in Accra, with a strong call for greater investment in horticulture and the wider green economy.
The Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who opened the event, said Ghana’s horticultural sector offered significant opportunities for business creation, job generation, skills development and improved livelihoods.
She said the beauty of gardens and flowers represented only one aspect of an industry with the potential to create sustainable businesses and open up local and international markets.
“Behind what we see are growers, skills, services, markets, and livelihoods,” she said, urging greater support for enterprises in the sector to enable them to expand, create jobs and compete beyond Ghana.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang said developing the sector required deliberate attention to the entire horticultural value chain, including production, transportation, storage, quality standards, financing and market access.
She noted that the perishable nature of many horticultural products made efficient logistics and supporting infrastructure particularly important.
The Vice President also called for greening to be incorporated into national development planning, rather than treated as an afterthought, stressing the importance of trees, gardens and green spaces to healthier, more sustainable and resilient communities.
The event, organised under the auspices of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement (GGFM), is being held under the theme “Green Means Business, Beauty and More.”
The theme seeks to shift the conversation around gardens, flowers and green spaces beyond their aesthetic value and draw attention to the economic, environmental and social opportunities offered by horticulture and the broader green economy.
The Show has brought together policymakers, business leaders, horticulture practitioners, environmental advocates, entrepreneurs, development partners, educational institutions, garden enthusiasts and members of the public.
The Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Augustus Goosie Obuadum Tanoh, also stressed the need for Ghana to develop the systems, infrastructure and market linkages necessary to build a competitive horticultural industry.
According to him, a viable industry would require stronger connections across production, aggregation, processing, logistics and markets, supported by finance, standards, skills and technology.
He cited the Netherlands and Kenya as examples of countries that have successfully developed their horticulture industries.
Mr Tanoh further disclosed that opportunities were being explored under the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, including plans to establish a cut-flower corridor along the Daboya-Singa pathway.
The proposed corridor would link production to the Tamale Air Cargo Hub and markets in Ghana, West Africa, Europe, the Gulf and other destinations.
He said investments in infrastructure, logistics and other support systems would be critical to ensuring that highly perishable horticultural products could move efficiently from farms to consumers and international markets.
The Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa Ltd (Stratcomm Africa) and Convener of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement, Esther A. N. Cobbah, said Ghana possessed the natural resources needed to develop a thriving horticulture and floriculture industry.
“We have soil, we have sunshine, we have water, we have plants; therefore, we have business and we have jobs,” she said.
Madam Cobbah urged Ghanaians to look beyond the aesthetic appeal of the country’s natural environment and deliberately harness its resources to create businesses and employment.
She also underscored the need to protect and nurture the environment, noting that gardens, trees and green spaces contribute to healthier and more liveable communities while supporting livelihoods and enterprise.
The 2026 Ghana Garden and Flower Show features exhibitions, floral and landscaping displays, masterclasses, a Music and Drama Night, Praise Jam in the Park, a fashion show, stakeholder dialogues, children’s activities under the “Little Green Fingers” initiative, Family Fun Day activities, a Horticulture Roundtable and a Green to Riches Conference.
A model eco-friendly home sponsored by HGD Home is also on display to demonstrate practical approaches to sustainable living.
The Horticulture Roundtable will focus on opportunities across production, aggregation, marketing and export, while providing a platform for businesses and practitioners to explore collaborations and market opportunities.
The event has also attracted horticulture practitioners and enthusiasts from Burkina Faso and Nigeria, providing opportunities for knowledge sharing, innovation and networking.
Initiated by Stratcomm Africa in 2013, the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement continues to promote horticulture, environmental education and community engagement while encouraging greener practices across the country.
The 14th Ghana Garden and Flower Show will run until September 21, 2026, when the BLOOM Garden of the Year will be unveiled at the closing ceremony.
The closing ceremony will be performed by the Minister for Sports and Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Authority, Kofi Adams.
