On a stretch of land in Dawhenya, near Prampram, rows of greenhouses now glow with life—quietly rewriting a story that once symbolised neglect. For nearly eight years, the irrigation and greenhouse facility stood idle, a reminder of missed opportunities in Ghana’s agricultural sector. Today, it is buzzing with young farmers, technology and export-bound vegetables.
At the centre of the revival is Dr. Felix Mawuli Kamassah, Chief Executive Officer of Marphlix Trust, whose message to policymakers is simple but urgent: Ghana can no longer farm the way it used to.
“Everybody knows the climate has changed. This year, did we even have harmattan? No. That alone tells you the climate is changing every day,” Dr. Kamassah said during a media tour of the facility.
The Dawhenya site—originally developed by the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) in partnership with Israeli firm Agritop—houses about 100 greenhouse units. After years of abandonment, Marphlix Trust took over operations in 2025, transforming the site into a modern training and production hub for controlled-environment farming.
Today, hundreds of young Ghanaians—many with no farming background—are learning how to grow vegetables using greenhouse technology, irrigation systems and data-driven crop management. The produce supplies both local markets and export channels, but the bigger impact, Dr. Kamassah says, is on people.
“We are changing the mindset. Agriculture is no longer about cutlass and hoe. You can be in a coat, managing systems, controlling environments. The youth are seeing that, and they love it.” he said.
National Service personnel and graduates from accounting, economics and agriculture backgrounds have passed through the facility. Some, he noted, have declined reassignment elsewhere after seeing what modern agriculture can offer.
Beyond skills and jobs, Dr. Kamassah believes smart agriculture is a national economic necessity. Controlled-environment farming, he explained, allows year-round production, reduces pest infestation and cuts down chemical residues—key concerns for both food safety and exports.
“When you do smart agriculture, you control the pests, you reduce chemicals, and you produce consistently,” he said. “These are opportunities we must take seriously.”
He pointed to countries like the Netherlands, where greenhouse farming has enabled high yields despite limited land and unpredictable weather. Ghana, he argued, has even greater potential—if government backs the transition.
“We need attention. We need water infrastructure. We need policy support,” he said. “That’s how you do agriculture all year round.”
As government pushes a 24-hour economy and a US$10 billion export target, Dr. Kamassah insists agriculture must be treated as a pillar, not an afterthought.
“Export, export, export—that is where we are focused,” he said. “Two years ago, currency instability hit exporters hard. Now things are improving, and this is the time for government to support the export sector properly.”
While gold dominates headlines, Dr. Kamassah argues that agriculture quietly employs more people and supports more livelihoods, especially through SMEs and smallholder farmers.
“If you add exporters and smallholder farmers together, the employment numbers are huge,” he said. “Agriculture may not glitter like gold, but it feeds the nation, earns foreign exchange and sustains the economy.”
Back in Dawhenya, the once-abandoned greenhouses now tell a different story—of adaptation, opportunity and resilience. For Dr. Kamassah, it is proof that with the right investment and mindset, agriculture can once again anchor Ghana’s economic future.
“Agriculture,” h “is the backbone of every economy.”