The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has expressed its greatest concern on the disturbed ongoing grain glut causing severe hardship on the farmers in the country.
In a press release issued by the executives of the association, over 200,000 metric tonnes of unsold paddy rice and maize remain from the last farming season, and many rice farms are still unharvested. Farmers now face threats from bird invasions, bushfires, and limited harvesting capacity, which would jeopardize all their investments, if nothing drastic is done.
According to the association, this situation has the potential to derail government’s Feed Ghana program as it will demotivate several farmers, including the youth, from engaging in any productive farming activity during the next planting season.
“Earlier, the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) announced the release of GHS 100 million to purchase excess produce and set minimum guaranteed prices for maize, rice, and gari. Though these prices were not desirable, it was seen as a positive step, as it represented a better alternative to the prices being offered by middlemen. Sadly, farmers have yet to see and experience purchases of their grains by approved buying companies. To date, there is no information and data on which districts benefited, raising concerns about accountability and transparency”, the association said.
With the swift action taken by the Ministry to release GHS100 million to address the crisis, PFAG commended the Ministry and urges greater transparency and efficiency.
To restore farmers confidence in the government, PFAG demand immediate publication of companies, locations, and quantities of grains procured with the initial GHS 100 million.
• Clear timelines for the commencement of grain purchases under the new GHS 100 million allocation.
• A published list of all approved Licensed Buying Companies, Millers, and Aggregators with their assigned locations for direct farmer engagement.
The PFAG expects that these measures should be quickly deployed and announced immediately to save farmers investment.
The PFAG also reiterates its earlier recommendations for
• Legislation mandating all state institutions—schools, hospitals, security services—to procure only locally produced rice and maize.
• Strengthened border controls to prevent smuggling of inferior rice and a temporary ban on rice imports until the situation stabilizes.
• Coordinated public campaigns by relevant ministries and stakeholders to promote local rice consumption.
Immediate implementation of these measures will alleviate farmer distress and safeguard national food security, as failure to act risks reduced rice production and undermines Ghana’s goal of rice self-sufficiency.
The PFAG further calls on the government and stakeholders to develop a long-term national strategy to address marketing challenges across all crops, including vegetables, cereals, and legumes, to prevent future crises.
