The site of a rice farm plagued by drought in the Volta Region.
The Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB) has revealed that rice production in the Volta Region of Ghana faces bleak consequences this year due to ongoing drought conditions which are disrupting production in some parts of the Region.
According to the body, farmers in the Akatsi North and South districts in the Volta Region have been gravely affected by poor rainfall patterns and are likely to lose their entire output for the 2021/2022 season.
“In Ketu South alone, over 700 hectares of rice have been lost to the drought. “The problem covers several areas including Kpoglu, Avalavi, Klenomadi and Avie in Ketu North, Akatsi in Akatsi South, Tongu Districts, Afadzato South District and Hohoe Municipal areas,” the President said.
This comes as a blow to the sector, which is an attempt to wean the country off rice importation by achieving self-sufficiency in production by 2025.
As if that is not enough, the affected farmers will have to wait till next year before they can earn some income.
Speaking to the reporter, President of GRIB Nana Agyei Ayeh II said some members of the farmers reached out to him to ascertain the situation and find a solution to the looming danger.
The President, together with some of the officials of the John A. Kufuor Foundation paid a working visit to the farms, and on their observation, several hectares of rice under cultivation are lost due to climate change and low levels of rainfall in these communities.
The woes of the farmers are further exacerbated by the huge investments they have already made in land preparation, seeds, and fertilizer.
However, the provisional production figures by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) indicate that about 973, 000 metric tonnes of rice were produced in Ghana in 2020. But, this figure could be hard to match in 2021 if the current situation persists.
Nana Agyei Ayeh II revealed that the existing dam structure which was built to harvest water to irrigate the farmlands is in a dire state of disrepair, leaving farmers at the mercy of the harsh weather conditions.
“We cannot continue with rain-fed agriculture. As you can see, this year, farmers have lost their investments simply because the rains failed them.
We would like to appeal to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to provide dugouts for these areas. These will aid in water conservations for the purposes of irrigation in such times like what we facing now” he added.
The World Bank’s latest Ghana Economic Update has raised concerns over the financial stability of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), warning that persistent operational and fiscal challenges could undermine one of the country’s most vital export industries.
According to the report, despite record-high global cocoa prices, Ghana’s cocoa production remains weak, while COCOBOD owes significant amounts to its suppliers. The World Bank noted that the agency’s involvement in activities beyond its core mandate known as quasi-fiscal operations has further heightened financial risks.
The report cautioned that these challenges, if left unresolved, could have wider implications for Ghana’s economy, given cocoa’s critical role as a major source of foreign exchange and rural incomes.
The World Bank stressed the need for stronger oversight and accountability in both the agricultural and energy sectors to help reduce fiscal risks and ensure long-term stability. It also called for COCOBOD to focus squarely on its primary business of sustaining cocoa production, while streamlining its operations to improve efficiency and financial health.
Cocoa remains Ghana’s second-largest export earner after gold, contributing billions of dollars annually. With global prices at multi-decade highs, analysts say the country must urgently address production and financing bottlenecks to fully seize the opportunity presented by favourable market conditions.
Some cocoa farmers from Ahukwa and Suhenso in the Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region have rejected the recently announced producer price of cocoa, describing it woefully inadequate.
Speaking at a media engagement, Isaac Gyasi, Leader of the farmers’ group, indicated that the new price meant that the government had betrayed cocoa farmers considering what it promised them.
“The price is unacceptable because to hire a labour for just a day is between GH¢80 and GH¢100, while prices of agro chemicals have gone up; so this price will negatively affect cocoa farmers economically,” he said.
He, therefore, called on the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the price review committee to relook at the new price and give what farmers deserved to help motivate more youth into cocoa farming.
A strategic partnership between the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), a women’s rights advocacy organization in Northern Ghana, is championing the transformation of degraded lands into productive farms at Nyansabga, a farming community in the Karaga District of the Northern Region.
The partnership, which began last year under the project dubbed Empowering Livelihoods and Building Community Resilience to Climate Shocks, is benefiting more than 100 women and adolescent girls, including other young men in the area.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia.
As part of the implementation strategy, the project has established a climate-smart demonstration farm in the community, showcasing sustainable agricultural practices such as the planting of economic trees, including mango, baobab, and moringa, as well as vegetables like tomatoes, okro, and pepper.
Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDAGhana, speaking to the media during a visit to the demonstration farm on Monday, said the initiative was designed to empower women to adopt climate-smart agricultural methods and replicate such practices on other degraded lands available for farming in the communities.
She explained that the project aimed at reclaiming and restoring degraded lands while at same time helping women, especially young girls, create sustainable assets for themselves.
“Because of the impact of climate shocks in the communities, we have secured a portion of the degraded lands for demonstration to show that climate-resilient agriculture is possible with the right technology and sustainable practices,” Hajia Sagito Saeed said.
She called for sustainable power supply solutions, including solar energy, to help stabilize all-year-round farming to address poverty, hunger, deprivation, and domestic-related violence.
Musah Abdul-Samed, Agriculture Officer for the project in Nyansabga, said the initiative had adopted climateresilient techniques such as soil conservation and a mechanized borehole for all-year farming.
He added that six experimental fishponds had been established under the project, each stocked with 250 fingerlings, meant to serve as demonstration hub to diversify livelihoods and improve nutrition in future.
He added that the project also uses furrow irrigation technology, which channels drained water from the fishponds to the farm, keeping it productive even during drought.
Madam Suweiba Abukari, leader of the women in Nyansabga, said proceeds from the farm had not only improved the nutritional needs of participating households but also provided financial support.
She noted that the women had established village savings and loans schemes through the initiative, boosting their economic rights and independence.
Madam Memunatu Alhassan, another beneficiary, told the GNA that, “Hitherto, | did not know one could rear fish in a pond, but thanks to WFP, SWIDA-Ghana and partners, we have been able to successfully operate a fishpond and the benefits are enormous, including nutrition for our children.”
A Ghana News Agency observation of other nearby farms revealed stunted crops compared to the lush demonstration farm, underscoring the need for climate-resilient practices to promote sustainable agriculture.
The project is expected to serve as a model for reclaiming degraded lands and building resilience against climate shocks in northern Ghana.
A farmer and president of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Elizabeth Nsimadala has underscored the urgent need to reposition smallholder farmers from passive recipients to active partners if Africa is to achieve food security.
Nsimadala believes that agricultural innovations must be built around the smallholder farmers who are the major stakeholders in the value chain.
“Agriculture is a vital pillar of the African economy, employing approximately 60% of the population, But the sector still faces significant challenges, such as limited access to agricultural inputs and technology, insufficient access to financing and markets and the impacts of climate change.
“Although new policy reforms are regularly being developed and implemented to address African’s agriculture challenges smallholder farmer are mostly absent from the conversations and procedures which don’t always reflect the real, day-to-day concerns of farmers, Nsimadala observed.
“I want to see the adoption of a farmer-centric approach in developing solutions because the present formula mostly does not make sense to the smallholder farmer, particularly in the rural areas of Africa where they need skills for effective utilization,” she said.
Exploring Solutions
Nsimadala is just one of the 33 million smallholder farmers in Africa, she recently participated in the 2ND Edition of the African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT 2025), aimed at closing the agricultural innovation gap across Africa.
For Nsimadala and many farmers who didn’t have the opportunity to participate in ACAT, their main concern has been that of farmers involvement in developing agriculture solutions and policies in Africa.
“I have heard the “Feed Ghana Programme” is an initiative launched by the Ghanaian government to boost agricultural production, enhance food security and create jobs” she said. It’s a good initiative if you ask me but were farmers involved in designing of this great model?”
Nsimadala made similar points about Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme which offers smallholder farmers support as well as the “Feed the Future Rwanda programme” which aims to increase incomes and improve nutrition in Rwanda by sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and strengthening the domestic consumption.
To scale such great efforts, Nsimadala believes that African governments must double the funding allocated for the agriculture sector.
“Africa needs to significantly increase investment in agriculture to about 10% or more of its budget to achieve food security” she said
“Food is the most basic of human needs. It is essential not just for the health but also that of communities.
Adding Value: The AATF Model
Dr. Daniel Kyalo Willy, a Senior Manager of Agribusiness, Commercialization and Policy at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) believes that farmers livelihoods can be enhanced through an Integrated Business Model introduced by his organization.
The model offers a path for farmers to go beyond accessing better seeds to achieve the full yield potential, wealthier and health they deserve while and playing a critical role in Africa’s transformation agenda.
AATF’s Agroprocessing model, for example, works to transform raw agricultural commodities into more usable and marketable value-added products.
“I want to explain that it encompasses a range of activities, from simple sorting and packaging to more complex processes like milling, canning, drying, and even creating entirely new products from agricultural inputs” Kyalo said. Essentially, it’s about adding value to what comes from farms, rivers and forests”
He cited examples from projects AATF implemented in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, among others where more than 5000 smallholder farmers were trained on Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) and value addition.
Improving farmer access to agricultural technologies will help address production challenges, enhance yields and contribute to the continent’s economic growth while enhancing community health and wealth, Kyalo added.
“I say everything else can wait – but integrated rural transformation through agroprocessing is urgent” he said. “I urge everyone to join us to scale this model across Africa; It is doable in this generation and beyond”.
Supporting Farmer Inclusion
Ishmael Sunga, Chief Executive Officer of the, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) agreed with Nsimadala on the need to adopt a farmer-centric design approach in developing policies and solutions.
“This gap hinders their ability to benefit from innovations intended to improve their livelihoods and I hope these conversations will help address this critical issue by bringing farmers’ voices to the forefront, he said.
“We want CSOs, NGOs, donors and government to ensure that farmers are not just beneficiaries of agricultural policies but active contributors in shaping them as well as implementing them in the various regions”
Farmers and others attending ACAT concurred that agriculture should no longer be treated as a fallback but a frontier of economic transformation. It’s clear that agriculture can create jobs, they noted, but the question now is whether African governments and investors will support the sector with the urgency and ambition required.
Real change will come only if policies are backed by action, accountability and farmer inclusion at every level. Farmer-centric design is foundational for developing effective next generation ag-tech solutions and critical to ensuring that these solutions address the specific needs and realities of African smallholder farmers, leading to higher awareness, wide scale adoption rates and lasting impact in rural Africa.
The Member of Parliament for Salaga-South, Hon. Hajia Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah, has reaffirmed her commitment to agricultural development in the constituency by distributing 650 bags of fertiliser to local farmers.
The intervention, arriving at a critical point in the farming season, is aimed at improving crop yields, strengthening food security, and empowering the hardworking men and women whose livelihoods rely on agriculture.
At a brief ceremony before the distribution, the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Kassim Yazid Rabiu, representing the MP- underscored the significance of the gesture.
He noted that agriculture remains the backbone of Salaga-South’s economy and stressed that empowering farmers is key to job creation, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.
He further disclosed that, in line with the MP’s instructions, the fertilisers would be distributed evenly across all six wards – Salaga, Kpembe, Makango, Kafaba, Konkomba, and Kluw (Abromase) to ensure fair and inclusive access.
The initiative has drawn praise from both beneficiaries and community members, who commended the MP’s proactive approach and transparent distribution process.One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Mahama Musah, lauded the MP’s consistent support not only in agriculture but also in education, health, and infrastructure.
He described her as a leader who understands the challenges of her constituents and takes decisive action to address them.
The fertiliser support programme forms part of Hon. Hajia Zuwera’s broader agenda to enhance agricultural productivity and position Salaga-South as a hub for quality crop production in the region.
Ghana is advancing plans for a bold agricultural policy aimed at slashing its $2 billion annual food import bill by reducing palm oil import.
This would be achieved by significantly scaling up domestic production and diversifying into high-value tree crops.
The plan outlined in the 2025–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, includes the rollout of a National Palm Oil Industry Policy, which will support the distribution of 1.5 million oil palm seedlings to farmers.
It is also to promote large-scale out-grower plantation schemes and provide incentives to expand local processing capacity.
The initiative, dubbed the “RedGold” oil palm programme, is expected to catalyse private sector investment, create thousands of jobs across rural Ghana and aligns with the country’s import substitution and agro-industrial transformation agenda.
Despite annual consumption of over 250,000 metric tons, Ghana’s domestic palm oil production currently stands at a mere 50,000 metric tons – a development which creates a major structural gap in the edible oils market.
The new policy seeks to address this imbalance by developing a fully integrated palm oil value chain—from farm to refinery.
The palm oil strategy falls under the broader Ghana Tree Crops Diversification Project (GTCDP), which aims to boost the commercial cultivation of cashew, coconut, rubber, mango and shea, alongside oil palm, to enhance farmer incomes and generate foreign exchange.
In 2025, the government, through the Ghana Tree Crops Development Programme (GTRDP), will procure and supply 5,070,000 seedlings; comprising 2,000,000 cashew, 1,650,000 rubber, and 1,420,000 coconut—for nationwide distribution.
An additional two million seedlings will be provided, including 500,000 shea and 1,500,000 mango, targeting 500,000 farmers across the country.
The agriculture sector is set for a significant financial boost in 2025, as the government and development partners commit a combined GHS 2.9 billion to support key programmes under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to the 2025–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, the investment will primarily fund the flagship Feed Ghana programme, along with mechanisation, irrigation, livestock development and post-harvest infrastructure projects aimed at improving food security and reducing import dependence.
The financing structure shows that government resources, including Internally Generated Funds (IGF), will contribute GHS 1.61 billion (55.3%) while development partners will provide GHS 1.3 billion (44.7%).
Of the total allocation – GHS 226.6 million is earmarked for compensation of employees, GHS 1.13 billion will support goods and services with GHS 1.55 billion set aside for capital expenditure.
The funding aligns with Ghana’s broader Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA), which prioritises modernising the sector, boosting productivity, and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the value chain.
Under the same framework, government is advancing plans for a bold agricultural policy aimed at slashing its $2 billion annual palm oil import bill.
This would be achieved by significantly scaling up domestic production and diversifying into high-value tree crops.
The plan includes the rollout of a National Palm Oil Industry Policy, which will support the distribution of 1.5 million oil palm seedlings to farmers.
It is also to promote large-scale out-grower plantation schemes and provide incentives to expand local processing capacity.
The initiative, dubbed the “RedGold” oil palm programme, is expected to catalyse private sector investment, create thousands of jobs across rural Ghana and aligns with the country’s import substitution and agro-industrial transformation agenda.
The Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) has expressed its disappointment over the recent government increment of cocoa price following the announcement at the Producer Price Committee Review, chaired by the Finance Minister, Hon. Ato Forson.
In a press conference at Accra, the Civil-Society mentioned that the newly farmgate price of USD $5,040 per metric tonne which is purported to represent 62% increase from last season’s USD $3,100 is misleading. GCCP’s reservations stem from prior assurances made by the President and Minister of Agriculture, pledging that cocoa farmers would receive 70% of the global market price.
According to GCCP, while this shift appears significant in dollar terms, the corresponding increase in local currency tells a more accurate story rising only 4.1%, from GH¢3, 100 to GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kg bag but not as it appears to be.
Underscoring the challenges facing cocoa farming, like; escalating production costs due to expensive inputs, labour, and operations, climate change impacts, including erratic weather patterns and worsening crop diseases like black pod, the increment remains insufficient to transform the livelihoods of cocoa farmers meaningfully, therefore, the need to increase the price more than GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kg bag.
To put it on records, the GCCP said Civil-Society is not politically motivated or been backed by any political party, but the interests of the cocoa farmers are their concern.
GCCP recommended to the government to first Implement Mid-Term Price Reviews: Adapt prices in line with global market fluctuations to mitigate smuggling.
Support Local LBCs: Strengthen local license buying companies through targeted financing and policy frameworks.
Tackle Structural Challenges: Address input affordability, climate resilience, and extension service access.
Invest in Farmer Education: Equip farmers with skills in sustainability, agronomy, and quality assurance.
Improve Rural Infrastructure: Upgrade roads, storage facilities, and essential services in cocoa-growing communities.
About the Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) The GCCP is an independent campaign and advocacy platform comprising civil society actors in the cocoa sector, including NGOs, farmer associations, and community organizations. Our mission is to advocate for and influence cocoa sector policies to improve the livelihoods of farmers across Ghana. We are committed to working with the government, private sector, and other stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and equitable cocoa industry that benefits all stakeholders.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), through the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), has cut the sod for the rehabilitation of the Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme in the Greater Accra Region.
The project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), forms part of implementing the Rehabilitation of Irrigation Schemes and Improvement of Irrigation Water Management Project in Aveyime, Dawhenya and Ashaiman irrigation schemes.
It seeks to improve water availability, expand irrigable land and enhance the productivity and income of farmers, particularly those within the Aveyime, Dawhenya and Ashaiman irrigation schemes in the Volta and Greater Accra regions.
The Ashaiman project, which will be undertaken by a home-grown construction company, Fridoug Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, will include spillway channel works, a 50-metre reservoir, 2.2km canal maintenance road, 2.2km concrete-lined canal, 22 22-metre access bridges to link the right and left banks and a new rice processing warehouse.
Groundbreakingceremony
The official groundbreaking ceremony at the Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme Office underscored the strong commitment of stakeholders to ensuring the successful completion and effective management of the project for the benefit of the people of Ashaiman and the nation as a whole.
The event brought together political figures, traditional leaders, representatives from MoFA, KOICA, GIDA, and farmers from the Ashaiman municipality.
Notable among the dignitaries were the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, Country Director for KOICA Ghana, Dong Hyun Lee, Project Management Consultant, Jon Seong, Reagent of Ashaiman, Nii Annang Adzor, CEO of GIDA, Eric Adu Dankwah, Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey and MCE for Ashaiman, Freeman Tsekpo.
In a statement, Mr Opoku highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s agenda to drive Ghana’s economic growth through agriculture.
He said the President believed Ghana’s vast agricultural potential, if supported by the right investments and policies, could increase farmer incomes, create youth employment, and ensure inclusive economic development.
To implement this vision, the minister said the government launched the Feed Ghana Programme in April, aiming to feed the population using locally produced food; supply raw materials to agro-processing industries, and create jobs across the agricultural value chain.
“In the wisdom of Mr President, our nation is endowed with huge agricultural potentials and so if we can make the right investment in agriculture and combine them with the right policies, we can significantly impact on incomes of our farmers, create gainful employment for our youth, and develop our economy from the scratch so that everybody, wherever you are located in this country, can be a participant as well as a beneficiary in the economic process,” he said.
Irrigable land
He said a key focus is shifting from rain-dependent farming to irrigation-based agriculture aimed at ensuring year-round food production, reducing reliance on weather conditions and laying a strong foundation for agriculture to become the engine of Ghana’s economic transformation.
The minister expressed worry that although the nation was blessed with irrigable land estimated at 1.9 million hectares, only 226,000 hectares were under irrigation and gave an assurance of the government’s commitment to rehabilitate the existing irrigation infrastructure while building new ones.
KOICA’s support
For his part, Mr Lee expressed pride in being part of the project, highlighting it as a symbol of the strong relationship between Ghana and Korea.
He pledged KOICA’s continued support for initiatives that improved the livelihoods of the Ghanaian people across various sectors.
The government has started the implementation of the Feed Ghana initiative with the cultivation of 500 acres of maize. This is expected to be scaled up to 2,000 acres by September 2026.
The Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, Mr George Opare Addo, addressing a government “Accountability Series” press briefing in Accra on Monday [August 4, 2025] described the Feed Ghana as a job creation effort designed to engage young people in large-scale agriculture while supporting national food supply systems.
“We have launched Feed Ghana with 500 acres of maize this year and aiming to increase this to 2,000 acres by September 2026,” he said.
He explained that the pilot phase is being undertaken with youth beneficiaries on lands in the Afram Plains and Yendi, with more sites expected to come on board. The produce will support the national school feeding programme and other state-run food supply efforts.
The programme is being implemented through the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to Mr Opare Addo, it forms part of the government’s strategy to link young people to structured opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing.
“This is not just farming. It is part of an integrated model, from seed to market, where young people are trained, equipped, and given clear production and sales targets,” he said.
Participants are being supported with technical training, inputs, mechanised services, and access to credit. Mr Opare Addo said these measures are intended to reduce the risks often associated with youth participation in agriculture.
Feed Ghana also aligns with other government programmes such as Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II, which promotes aggregation, storage, processing, and structured market access.
In the coming months, the minister said the programme will expand to include rice, soya, and vegetables across at least six additional regions.
He said the long-term objective is to make agriculture a stable and attractive path to employment for young people, while strengthening the country’s food systems.
“We are taking agriculture to the young people not just as a last resort, but as a business, a business that feeds Ghana and builds futures,” Mr Opare Addo said.
