Ghanaian agricultural economist and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, is 76 years today, having been born on 19th October 1949 in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
Born to the late Baffour Osei Akoto, founder of the National Liberation Movement and chief linguist of Manhyia Palace, Dr. Akoto has lived a life defined by academic excellence and public service. After Opoku Ware School and the University of Ghana, Legon, he went on to obtain his Masters and PhD in Agricultural Economics from Cambridge University in 1985.
As he marks his birthday, his 18-year career at the International Coffee Organization in London and his time as CEO of two commodity companies are remembered, but his political impact stands out. From 2009 to 2017 he served as MP for Kwadaso, and from 2017 to 2023 as Minister for Food and Agriculture under President Akufo-Addo.
Today, on his birthday, tributes highlight his biggest legacy, the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, which transformed Ghana’s food security narrative. Dr. Akoto, who is married with children, remains one of Ghana’s most respected agricultural economists.
