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Danger looms as drought hits Volta Region rice production.

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.

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New cocoa producer price takes effect today, Friday

The new producer price of cocoa for the remainder of the 2025/26 cocoa season will take effect from Friday, February 13, 2026.

This follows an upward review of the producer price to GH¢41,392.00 per tonne.

A statement issued to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said the new price would apply to all cocoa purchased nationwide for the rest of the 2025/26 crop year.

It said under the revised pricing structure, the producer price to be paid at all buying centres was GH¢1,241.76 per load of 30 kilogrammes of Grade | and Il cocoa beans naked ex-scale.

The statement further explained that the approved price per bag of 64 kilogrammes gross was GH¢2,587.00.

It noted that a tonne of cocoa, comprising 16 bags, now attracted a total payment of GH¢41,392.00.

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PFAG calls on government to safeguard Ghanaian farmers to protect Ghana’s future

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called for government’s Intervention to save the Ghanaian farmers to suture Ghana’s future. This call came through because of the recent tragic murder of Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso.

In a release issued by the PFAG, the association has shown a great concern stating that the immediate human tragedy is their foremost concern. The release reads:

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) is profoundly troubled and saddened by the recent tragic murder of Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso. While the immediate human tragedy is our foremost concern, this act exposes the extreme vulnerability of our foods system. Currently, a significant portion of the tomatoes consumed in Ghana are imported from Burkina Faso and this tragic event will disrupt supply chains which will undoubtedly trigger a sharp hike in tomato prices, placing a basic nutritional staple in a highly precarious state for millions of Ghanaian families.

This is not merely a supply chain issue; it is a national security and economic sovereignty issue. While the catalyst is unfortunate, it serves as a stark and urgent wake-up call for the nation to fundamentally reassess our agricultural trajectory. We must seize this moment to implement transformative measures that guarantee self-sufficiency, not just in tomatoes, but across the entire vegetable value chain.

The numbers paint a damning picture of missed opportunity. Ghana is currently the 43rd largest importer of tomatoes in the world, having spent over $22.3 million on tomato imports in 2024 alone, with more than 90% of these imports originating from Burkina Faso. Our national consumption demand hovers around 800,000 metric tonnes annually. Yet, our total domestic production languishes between 370,000 and 420,000 metric tonnes, leaving a deficit that imports must fill. This reliance persists despite Ghana possessing the climate, arable land, and human resource potential to not only be self-sufficient but to become a net exporter in the West African sub-region.

This chronic production shortfall is not an act of nature, but a failure of policy and prioritization. It is the result of several interconnected, systemic constraints:
• Climate-Dependent Farming: Our over-reliance on seasonal, rain-fed agriculture, due to grossly inadequate irrigation facilities, leaves production vulnerable to erratic rainfall patterns and climate change.
• The Productivity Gap: Average yields are stuck at a dismal 7.5 metric tonnes per hectare, a far cry from a potential of 20 metric tonnes per hectare. This is a direct consequence of farmers’ limited access to high-quality, market-demanded seeds, the exorbitant cost of fertilizers, and the widespread adoption of poor agronomic practices.
• The Post-Harvest Catastrophe: The nation watches helplessly as 30-50% of the harvest is lost after cultivation. This post-harvest waste, resulting from poor storage, lack of processing facilities, and deplorable road networks, represents a crushing blow to farmers’ incomes, traders’ livelihoods, and national food security.

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana is deeply concerned that these persistent bottlenecks, if left unaddressed, will continue to cripple the efforts of our farmers as they will remain uncompetitive and trapped in a cycle of low productivity. This, in turn will fuel inflationary pressures, further bloat our national food import bill, and jeopardize the very foundation of our food security. The murder of our traders is a tragic exclamation point on a long-standing, unsustainable reality.

However, the PFAG believes that with decisive, well-funded, and properly sequenced interventions, Ghana can chart a new course. We are confident that we can drastically reduce our reliance on vegetable imports by 2030 and achieve complete self-sufficiency in tomato production by 2036. This is not just an aspiration; it is a necessity.
The Association therefore urgently calls upon the Government of Ghana to treat this as a matter of national emergency and prioritize the following:

  1. A Radical Shift in Irrigation Development: The government must provide a specific, time-bound roadmap and dedicated budget for the completion of the “Irrigation for Wealth Programme.” Furthermore, as a defining legacy project, the government must commence and complete the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam within its tenure. To complement large-scale infrastructure, the government should immediately initiate a program for the construction of boreholes and facilitate access to subsidized solar-powered irrigation pumps for farmers across all major farming districts. This will enable all-year-round farming and insulate production from climate shocks.
  2. Establish Strategic Agricultural Enclaves: The government should develop dedicated economic enclaves for the commercial cultivation of high-demand vegetables, including tomatoes and onions. These enclaves should be situated in selected agro-ecological zones with favourable climatic conditions and be equipped with essential infrastructure—water, power, and roads—to attract private sector investment and drive production.
  3. Reduce cost-of-Production: The government must adequately resource our research institutions to develop and multiply high-quality, disease-resistant, and market-preferred seed varieties. Critically, the government must work as a matter of urgency to significantly reduce the cost of production. This requires a comprehensive review and engagement with companies in the pricing of fertilizers and other key inputs and services
  4. Declare War on Post-Harvest Losses: A national strategy to tackle post-harvest losses must be instituted immediately. This multi-pronged approach should include: (a) a massive recruitment and deployment of extension agents to educate farmers on best harvesting and handling practices; (b) the rapid upgrading of feeder roads linking farming communities to major market centres; (c) the establishment of a network of storage and cold chain facilities at strategic locations; and (d) the urgent rehabilitation and establishment of tomato processing factories across major tomato-producing districts to absorb surpluses and stabilize market prices during glut seasons.

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana urges the government to view these interventions not as favours to farmers, but as critical investments in the nation’s future. This urgency is magnified by the growing despair and low morale among Ghanaian farmers in recent times. Grain (rice, maize and soya) and tuber (yam and cassava) farmers are currently counting their staggering losses from the recent market glut. Despite repeated government promises and assurances, they feel abandoned and helpless as they watch their investments go to waste. The appetite to cultivate for the upcoming planting season is very low, as produce from last planting season still remains on the field, in warehouses or have completely destroyed. Their plight is a national emergency in its own right.

We implore the government to immediately activate all available avenues—from direct purchases to strategic storage—to provide immediate relief to these farmers as their resilience has been stretched to the breaking point.

We urge that the country builds a resilient agricultural system that ensures no Ghanaian farmer or consumer is left at the mercy of such precarious circumstances.

Let’s save the Ghanaian farmer and secure Ghana’s future.

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Ghana will no longer be content with exporting raw materials but processed goods to international markets – Agric Minister

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku has said that Ghana will no longer be content with exporting raw materials to the international market, rather add value to its raw materials for export.

He said this during the maiden edition of the Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition with the theme; Sustainable Growth Through Tree Crops Investment: Resetting and Building Ghana’s Green Economy at Accra International Conference Centre, Accra.

Given his speech at the summit he underscored Ghana’s agriculture transformation shifting decisively from conversation to execution, “today marks a decisive shift in Ghana’s agricultural transformation. Not merely a shift in conversation, but a shift in execution”.

He reiterated that as a minister his mandate is to ensure that vision of Tree Crops translates into practical results on farms, in processing facilities, and in export markets.

He acknowledged the private sector for sustaining tree crop sub-sector over the years, yet without adequate coordination or regulatory structure, though production grew, yet value addition remained limited, standards were jagged, and the sector lacked the coherence required to attract large-scale investment.

Bridging this gap, through the Tree Crops Development Authority, he said the ministry is building an ecosystem fastened in reliable planting materials, strengthened extension delivery, improved productivity, traceability systems, processing expansion and enforceable
regulatory standards.

It is therefore the duty of the government to provide a conducive atmosphere within which all actors can confidently discharge their duties.

According to him, the future of the tree crop sector lies firmly in value addition. “Cashew must be processed locally before export. Shea must move beyond raw nut export into refined butter and cosmetic-grade derivatives. Coconut must expand into oil, fibre, beverages and industrial inputs. Rubber must feed downstream manufacturing, and mango must scale into export-grade processed products. Oil palm must deepen into integrated agro-industrial development”, he listed.

To achieve this, he explained the Ministry is facilitating access to suitable land banks in ecologically appropriate zones, strengthening extension services tailored specifically to tree crop agronomy, promoting nucleus-outgrower schemes that guarantee consistent raw material supply to processors, and aligning regulatory institutions such as the Ghana Standards Authority and the Food and Drugs Authority with international export requirements.

To women and the youth, Minister mentioned that women are predominant actors in the shea butter industry that serves as the major economic support of their livelihoods in the rural communities, therefore, the idea of the ministry is to link the women-led businesses to processing, export and value addition opportunities.

He called on the investors to take the opportunity of the stable democratic governance with structured opportunities to invest in relation to expansion in processing capacity across multiple crops.

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FDA warns against use of cement in preserving beans

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned the public against the use of cement or any unapproved substances in the preservation of beans, following a viral video circulating on social media suggesting the practice.

In a press release issued on February 16, 2026, the authority stated that the video, which appears to show beans being preserved with a white powdery substance believed to be concrete cement, does not reflect approved agricultural or food preservation practices in Ghana.

According to the FDA, the method portrayed in the footage is not recognised or endorsed by the Plant Protection and Regulation Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

A review of the video, the authority noted, indicates that the language spoken is not Ghanaian.

A translation of the narration reportedly reveals unsafe and unhygienic handling procedures, including the application of chemicals with bare hands and the absence of protective clothing.

The footage also depicts an individual standing directly on a heap of beans without any protective gear.

The FDA stressed that the use of cement for food preservation is not permitted under Ghana’s food safety regulations.

“The FDA, together with its stakeholder institutions, does not approve of food preservation practices that compromise food safety and public health,” the statement emphasised.

It further condemned the use of unapproved substances, poor hygiene practices, and direct hand contact with food without protective wear, describing them as violations of acceptable food safety standards.

The authority assured the public that such practices are not encouraged in Ghana and advised farm produce aggregators and retailers to refrain from engaging in or promoting unsafe preservation methods.

Consumers have been urged to report any suspicious food handling or preservation practices to the FDA for investigation and possible sanctions.

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Ghana-Spain deepening Agribusiness Ties as GB Foods calls on Trade Minister, Unveils 6,000-Acres Tomato Project

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting large-scale local raw material production following high-level discussions with the Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, Angel Lossada Torres-Quevedo, the CEO of GB Foods Africa, Vicenç Bosch, the Director, Institutional Affairs & Agribusiness, Africa of GB Foods Dr. J. Teddy Ngu and other officials from the Spanish Embassy.

The meeting, held at the Ministry in Accra on Monday, 16th February, 2026, focused on strengthening Ghana–Spain cooperation in agribusiness, particularly in tomato cultivation and processing, as part of efforts to enhance food security and reduce reliance on imports.

Ambassador Lossada Torres-Quevedo described GB Foods Africa as “one of the most important and reliable agro-business companies” with extensive experience across Africa. He noted that the company’s investments not only benefit its operations but also generate significant socio-economic returns for local populations.

“We are launching important work together regarding the agro-business industry,” the Ambassador stated, underlining the company’s long-standing track record and commitment to sustainable partnerships.

CEO Vicenç Bosch used the opportunity to reaffirm the company’s long-term commitment to Ghana, where its flagship brand, Gino, has become a household name.

“For us, this is about developing the industry where we operate. It is not about importing; it is about building local capacity,” he said.

Mr. Bosch disclosed that GB Foods Africa has secured 6,000 acres of land in the Afram Plains for tomato cultivation more than three times the size of its existing farm in Nigeria, currently one of the largest tomato farms in the region. The company has been piloting tomato farming and processing in Ghana over the past two years, with harvesting expected in the coming weeks.

According to him, initial results are promising. While average tomato yields per acre in parts of Central Africa range between five and ten tonnes—compared to about 180 tonnes in China and 140 tonnes in Spain—GB Foods has improved yields to between 60 and 70 tonnes per acre in Nigeria. In Ghana, the first-year pilot achieved 20 tonnes per acre, with projections to double to 40 tonnes in the second year.

However, he acknowledged the competitiveness challenge posed by low-cost tomato imports and called for supportive policy measures, including quota arrangements similar to those implemented in countries such as Senegal and Nigeria, to enable local production to scale sustainably over a five-to-seven-year period.

“We have left all our pieces and now we are waiting for cooperation to make the next move,” he noted, stressing the need for a collaborative policy framework that would benefit the entire industry.

Responding to the company’s proposals, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare welcomed the investment and described it as aligned with government’s broader agenda to strengthen agribusiness and ensure food security under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.

She emphasized that local production of raw materials is central to Ghana’s industrialisation strategy.

“If you have the industry here but your raw material is somewhere you do not control, when there is a problem there, you suffer,” she stated. “We are committed to ensuring that raw materials are produced in Ghana so that food security can be assured.”

The Trade Minister commended GB Foods Africa for its high production standards and expanding product range, including the local production of shito, a popular Ghanaian condiment.

She further assured the delegation that government would continue ongoing discussions to explore policy options that would facilitate the company’s expansion while ensuring returns on investment.

“It is easy to import. But when you invest in this country, it means you have come to scale. Government also has to perform its side of the bargain,” she said.

Highlighting the importance of tomatoes in Ghanaian cuisine and the broader agricultural value chain, the Minister encouraged the company to share technical expertise with local farmers to boost productivity and quality across the sector.

The meeting signals renewed momentum in Ghana–Spain economic cooperation and positions agribusiness, particularly tomato cultivation and processing, as a strategic pillar for industrial growth, job creation and enhanced food security.

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Agric Minister commissions cold storage facility and groundbreaking of poultry value addition and processing project.

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku has commissioned the ultra-modern Beacon’s cold storage expansion project at Tema in the Greater Accra Region.

The project not merely physical structure is a strategic investment in Ghana’s food security architecture and concrete expressions of confidence in the future of Ghana’s poultry industry.

According to the Minister, the project aligns directly with Government’s flagship Feed Ghana Programme, a comprehensive framework for transforming Ghana’s agriculture and food systems.

Under this Programme he said livestock development occupies a central place, with poultry identified as the most immediate and high-impact opportunity for import substitution, job creation, and agro-industrial growth.

“For many years, Ghana has depended heavily on imported poultry products, with an annual import bill estimated between US$300 million and US$400 million. This situation is neither economically sustainable nor consistent with our national development aspirations. The time has come to rebuild domestic capacity across the entire poultry value chain — from hatchery to feed production, from farm to processing, and from cold storage to market,” he said.

To rebuild the domestic capacity across the entire poultry value chain, he explained the government launched the Poultry Industry Revitalization sub-programme under the Feed Ghana Programme and this intervention addresses the structural bottlenecks that have impelled the sector. Thus, high feed costs, weak value-chain coordination, limited access to quality day-old chicks, inadequate veterinary support, and critically, insufficient processing and cold chain infrastructure.

He mentioned that there are three model for revitalizing the sector; a Poultry-Farm-to-Table model that supports large-scale commercial farms, small and medium-scale poultry producers to improve productivity and competitiveness and lastly Nkoko Nketenkete Backyard Poultry
Programme, to expand household and community-level production, with particular emphasis on women, youth, and vulnerable households.

He expressed that increase production without processing and cold chain capacity is vague, therefore, Beacon’s cold storage expansion project is timely to enhance Ghana’s capacity to preserve quality, reduce post-harvest losses, stabilise supply, and ensure food safety standards.

He commended Beacon Source and Services Ltd. and Bostex Trading GmbH for the vision, commitment, and strategic alignment with the Feed Ghana Programme to advancing a national agenda that seeks for food security, job creation, industrial growth, and economic resilience.

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Randy Abbey rejects Minority’s call for his removal

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Randy Abbey, has dismissed calls by the Minority caucus for his removal over recent reforms in the cocoa sector, insisting that the challenges facing the industry stem from decisions taken by the previous administration.

The Minority has criticised ongoing reforms, including the reduction in the cocoa producer price, arguing that the measures shortchange farmers and worsen their plight. The caucus has consequently demanded Dr. Abbey’s removal from office.

Responding to the claims on Thursday, February 12, 2026, Dr. Abbey said the current funding model for cocoa purchases was not introduced by his administration but inherited.

“The model that we are using today is not a model that I created. It is a model that we inherited, which was used in the 2024/2025 season,” he stated.

He explained that the long-standing syndicated loan model, which had financed cocoa purchases for 32 years, collapsed during the 2023/2024 season under the previous government.

“For the first time in the history of the loan, the first tranche hit the COCOBOD account on December 22. COCOBOD had defaulted on its loans and, under the DDEP, asked for the deferment of the debt and a haircut, among others. That is how the syndicated loan collapsed, and that is how this funding model came up with the buyers,” he said.

Dr. Abbey maintained that upon assuming office, his team assessed the inherited system and determined it was unsustainable.

“We came in and we realised that this model was not sustainable. We therefore needed a new model, and that is what we were working towards,” he added.

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‘Why not cut COCOBOD staff salaries too?’ — Nana Aduna II questions fairness of cocoa price reduction

The spokesperson of the Ghana Farmers Association, Nana Aduna II, has criticised recent developments in the cocoa sector, arguing that farmers are unfairly bearing the brunt of policy decisions.

Speaking on JoyNews AM Show, Nana Aduna II questioned why cocoa farmers appear to be the only group affected, especially at a time when many have reportedly gone unpaid for months.

“The question we would like to ask is, why are only farmers taking the hit?” he said. “When you look at the trajectory of our cocoa system, there’s the farmer, the haulage system, licensed buying companies, and COCOBOD. That’s before the beans are even exported. So why is the farmer alone taking the hit?”

He maintained that if cost-cutting measures were necessary, they should have been applied across the value chain — beginning with administrative expenditure, staff salaries and government margins — rather than reducing farmers’ earnings.

“The first step should have been to reduce the salaries of staff and the margins that the government makes by the same amount,” he stated. “If COCOBOD staff were also affected, it would create a fairer system and a level playing field for farmers.”

Nana Aduna II further expressed concern about the weakening of farmer groups over the years, which he said has undermined their capacity for collective bargaining and effective resistance.

“Farmer groups have been made poor and weakened over time. There is very limited collective bargaining. So how do we fight back? What tools do we have? Do we just put our hands behind our backs?” he asked.

He emphasised the importance of understanding the historical trajectory of Ghana’s cocoa industry to fully appreciate the persistent inequities faced by farmers, despite their central role in the sector.

His remarks follow the government’s announcement of a new farmgate cocoa price of GH₵41,392 per tonne for the 2025–2026 season, equivalent to GH₵2,587 per bag.

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Land guards take over Tuba irrigation farm as farmers protest

Over 300 farmers operating under the Weija Irrigation Project at Tuba in the Greater Accra Region have staged protests over what they describe as the unlawful takeover of their farmlands by land guards, following the alleged sale of the land to a private estate developer.

The farmers claim that officials at the Lands Commission unlawfully transferred the Tuba irrigation lands for commercial development, a move that has exposed them to harassment and intimidation by armed land guards.

According to the farmers, the Government of Ghana acquired about 13,000 acres of land in 1974 for the Weija Dam project. In 1983, the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) earmarked approximately 8,000 acres of this land for irrigation farming.

However, they allege that in 2013, over 90 percent of the land was returned to the original landowners through an Executive Instrument, leaving only about six percent for farming activities.

Some farmers told the media that land guards have chased them off their farms with weapons, creating fear and insecurity in the area.

They warned that more than 300 farmers risk losing their livelihoods if the situation is not urgently resolved.

The aggrieved farmers are appealing to President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to intervene.

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Farmers willing to accept new Cocoa Producer Price – Francis Teinor

The President of the Mankrong Cocoa Cooperative Farmers’ Association,Francis Teinor has urged cocoa farmers to accept the newly announced producer price of GH¢41,392 per tonne, describing the current period as “bad times” for the sector.

Speaking to Eyewitness News on Thursday, February 12, he acknowledged the challenges posed by delayed payments but expressed cautious optimism about the government’s proposed financial policies.

“Looking at the policies that the Finance Minister has brought, one of them is that we wanted to go for bonds and not syndicated loans. When you take bonds, it takes 10 to 20 years, so it means the money will always be in the account for us whenever cocoa is ready,” he said.

He emphasised that farmers are willing to accept the current price but warned that continued delays in future payments could erode trust in the system.

“Farmers are accepting that, but what we do not want to hear next year is that we go and sell cocoa and face the same delays. If that happens again, we are going to lose trust,” he noted.

He also highlighted the importance of government compliance with the Finance Minister’s directives, including adding value to at least 50% of locally produced cocoa before export.

“Currently, we have nothing to complain about because of prevailing world market prices, so we are telling all our farmers that we are in bad times and need to accept the current price and pray that the government will follow the guidelines,” he said.

The government announced the new producer price for cocoa for the remainder of the 2025–2026 crop season in a move aimed at stabilising the sector and supporting farmers. The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) approved the new rate, which takes effect from Thursday, February 12, translating to GH¢2,587 per bag.

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