Ghana Garden and Flower Show puts green economy at centre of jobs and investment drive
The Ghana Garden and Flower Show will return for its 14th edition in Accra from 12 to 21 September 2026, with organisers positioning horticulture, floriculture and green spaces as important drivers of employment, investment, climate resilience and sustainable development. The event will be held at Efua Sutherland Children’s Park under the theme, “Green Means Business,
The Ghana Garden and Flower Show will return for its 14th edition in Accra from 12 to 21 September 2026, with organisers positioning horticulture, floriculture and green spaces as important drivers of employment, investment, climate resilience and sustainable development. The event will be held at Efua Sutherland Children’s Park under the theme, “Green Means Business, Beauty and More. ”More than a traditional flower exhibition, the show has developed into the flagship event of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement (GGFM), a campaign encouraging Ghanaians to view gardens, flowers, trees, herbs, vegetables and ornamental plants as sources of economic opportunity as well as beauty. The organisers say this year’s event will be the biggest and most ambitious to date. Government institutions, private companies, development partners, researchers, educators, landscapers, flower growers, horticultural specialists and entrepreneurs are expected to take part, alongside thousands of visitors. Ghana has fertile soils, a favourable climate, extensive biodiversity and a growing culture of entrepreneurship. Those conditions provide a strong foundation for a horticulture and floriculture industry that could serve local consumers and compete in international markets. However, much of that potential remains undeveloped. The show’s theme is intended to underline the broader economic significance of the sector. The organisers argue that the green economy is not limited to environmental protection, but can also create jobs, generate wealth, attract investment, strengthen food systems, improve public health and help communities adapt to climate change. The movement began in 2013 as the flagship corporate social responsibility initiative of Strategic Communications Africa Limited (StratcommAfrica), Ghana’s premier total communications agency. It was established to promote the environmental, commercial, aesthetic and health benefits of gardens, flowers and green spaces. StratcommAfrica uses the movement and its annual show as communication tools to encourage behavioural development and change in support of environmental sustainability and job creation. What started as an awareness campaign has since become a registered non-profit organisation with an independent Advisory Board. Its members include government agencies, private businesses, development partners, academics and civil society organisations, united by a goal of creating “A Greener, Cleaner, Healthier, Wealthier and More Beautiful Ghana. ”From exhibition to national movementThe initiative was founded by Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, Chief Executive Officer of StratcommAfrica. Ms Cobbah is a communications strategist whose career has included work in academia, public policy and international consultancy. She is currently President of both the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana. Holding both positions reflects her standing in the international communications profession. The Ghana Garden and Flower Movement is also an expression of her belief that strategic communication should contribute to national development rather than function only as a means of publicity. Over 14 years, the annual Ghana Garden and Flower Show has encouraged thousands of Ghanaians to see plants not simply as decorative features in their homes, but as resources that can support employment, improve livelihoods and contribute to national wellbeing. Its work has also attracted international links. Previous partnerships have included collaboration with the Programma Uitzending Managers (PUM) Netherlands Senior Experts, whose technical support helped strengthen knowledge-sharing and capacity-building in Ghana’s horticulture and floriculture industries. The movement has now joined the Africa Horticultural Circle, creating further opportunities for regional cooperation, innovation and market development. As part of that partnership, horticultural experts from Nigeria will attend the 2026 show. They will lead specialist masterclasses and work with organisers on the African horticulture awards, which are included in the programme. The developments reflect an ambition that extends beyond staging Ghana’s leading garden show. The movement wants Ghana to become a significant participant in Africa’s expanding green economy. Recognition for social impactThe show’s growing profile has been recognised internationally. Last year, it received four awards from IPRA, including the Global Contribution Award for PR with an objective of meeting one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The honours acknowledged not only the quality of the event, but also its use of strategic communication to promote environmental responsibility, encourage entrepreneurship and influence positive changes in behaviour. That recognition followed 14 years of planning, stakeholder engagement and efforts to show how communications can support social and economic transformation. The show’s supporters say few corporate social responsibility initiatives in Ghana have maintained their momentum and relevance for so long while continuing to broaden their national and international reach. For visitors, the event may appear to be a lifestyle exhibition featuring flowers, landscaping and garden displays. Organisers, however, say its purpose is much wider. Each flower arrangement can represent a commercial opportunity. Every landscaped garden requires trained workers, while every nursery can provide a base for an entrepreneur. Planting trees can also contribute to climate resilience, healthier communities and the interests of future generations. The industries connected to horticulture and floriculture are increasingly being considered by policymakers, investors and development specialists as ways to diversify Ghana’s economy. They can contribute to job creation, tourism, public health and environmental sustainability. That wider focus is what distinguishes the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement from a conventional exhibition. For Ms Cobbah and her team, the annual gathering has never been only about flowers. Its central purpose has been to change attitudes towards Ghana’s natural environment and to demonstrate that green space can also mean business.