Agribusiness Chamber pushes for zero-rated communication for farmers

The Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness has called for urgent reforms in the country’s telecommunications pricing structure, urging service providers to offer affordable and zero-rated communication services to over seven million agribusiness actors nationwide.

The Chamber argues that Ghana’s agricultural sector is not being constrained by low productivity or poor soil conditions, but by weak communication systems that limit coordination across the value chain.

It warned that farmers, processors, aggregators, transporters, and cooperatives rely heavily on daily communication to function efficiently, yet the cost of calls, messaging, and data continues to create avoidable inefficiencies.

7 million agribusiness actors demand affordable connectivity

“We have built roads and invested in inputs, but we are ignoring the most critical modern tool, affordable communication,” the Chamber stated.

The proposal includes zero-rated calls and messaging between farmers and associations, discounted communication packages for agribusiness networks, and subsidised data access for agricultural platforms.

According to the Chamber, such interventions would significantly improve coordination, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen cooperatives, and ensure more reliable supply for agro-processing industries.

It further noted that improved communication would enhance market access for farmers, reduce exploitation by middlemen, and support the growth of rural economies.

The Chamber also argued that telecom operators stand to benefit from the proposal through expanded user bases, increased mobile money transactions, and long-term growth driven by a more connected agricultural economy.

“This is not revenue sacrifice; it is market expansion,” it emphasised.

It is therefore calling on government and regulators to recognise agricultural connectivity as essential economic infrastructure, similar to roads, energy, and irrigation systems.

The Chamber warned that failure to address communication barriers could continue to undermine efficiency in supply chains, limit industrial growth, and slow down Ghana’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.