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Declare state of emergency in galamsey-hit zones – Catholic Bishops urge gov’t

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) is urging the government to adopt far more radical measures in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), including the declaration of a state of emergency in high-risk mining areas.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its Annual Plenary Assembly held in Damongo in the Savannah Region, the Conference described the scale of ecological destruction caused by galamsey as “a profound moral crisis and a spiritual challenge.”

The Bishops stressed that a synodal Church recognises creation not as a resource to be exploited, but as “a covenantal partner deserving of respect and care.”

According to the communiqué, recent figures show Ghana has lost more than 5,252 hectares of forest reserves to illegal mining in 2025 alone, while 44 out of 288 forest reserves are now considered degraded. An estimated 75% of the country’s rivers are polluted, largely due to mercury and cyanide used in unregulated mining operations.

While acknowledging initiatives such as the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), the Bishops said the scale of devastation demands a more aggressive national response.

They called on President John Dramani Mahama to announce tougher interventions, including:

  • A state of emergency in high-risk illegal mining zones.
  • Swift and impartial prosecution of offenders, regardless of political ties.
  • Full reclamation of lands destroyed by illegal and irresponsible mining.
  • Transparent national reporting on water quality, forest cover, and food safety.

The GCBC also commended chiefs and queen mothers who have taken bold stands against illegal mining in their communities, urging others to follow suit.

They further appealed to all citizens to take ownership of the fight, saying Ghana’s land and water bodies must be “sanitised and healed” for the sake of current and future generations.

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Rainbow Agrosciences and IWMI donate to the Agric Ministry to support the Farmers’ Day Celebration

Rainbow Agrosciences and the International Water Management Institute have donated an inputs and cash to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to support the Farmers’ Day Celebration.

The Rainbow Agrosciences presented an input worth Two hundred and seventy thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢270,000) and cash cheque of Thirty thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢30,000) totalling One hundred thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢100,000). Whilst the International Water Management Institute donated One hundred bags of organic fertilizers.

60 boxes of different inputs namely, weedicides, fungicides, insecticides and Akateking that is widely and popularly used by the cocoa farmers.

During the presentation at the Ministry’s forecourt, the Technical Director of Rainbow Agrosciences, Mr. Georgr Selasie Ocloo said Rainbow Agrosciences has partnered with the ministry’s flagship programme, Crop Clinic, where they work with the extension officers to educate the farmers on good agronomical practices.

With such collaboration he said things have been structured to the extent of reaching every farmer and every mile where production take place, therefore, it is their responsibility to contribute to the happiness and rewards of the gallant farmers.

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and its partner, Jakora have donated 100 bags of Fortifer compost: an organic fertilizer to support the Farmers’ Day Celebration.

To underscore the objective of the donation to the farmers, the IWMI rep. said the institute and Jakora is to partner with the Ministry of Agric to support the farmers to have safe agriculture practices for healthy production for the nation.

The rep. underlined the significant patronage of organic fertilizer. “It is important to make agriculture practice environmentally sustainable and environmentally friendly. That is why we are departing from inorganic fertilizer to compost fertilizer.”

Receiving these donations, the Minister of Agric, Hon. Eric Opoku commended the donners for such gestures to appreciate the hard work of the Ghanaian farmers.

“We are grateful for this opportunity, and I want to assure you that whatever you have given will go straight to the farmers because they are the beneficiaries, we are all surviving because of their hard work and when we empower them properly, they can deliver to the satisfaction of everybody,” he added.

He assured of deepened partnership and called for furtherance assistance as the need arise.

He called all the stakeholders to come on board to make the celebration a success. “We all have one responsibility, that is to ensuring affordability of food so that everybody wherever you are located in the country can have unimpeded access to food,” Hon. Minister added.

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Peasant Farmers Association calls for 10% allocation of the 2026 budget to the Agric Sector

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana is calling on the government for 10% allocation of the 2026 budget to the agriculture sector.

The Finance Minister is expected to present the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy that will improve the life of the citizens to Parliament on 13 November 2025.

Expressing the concerns and the expectations of the stakeholders of the economy, the Acting Executive Director of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Mr. Bismark Owusu Nortey is calling on the government to allocate 10% of the 2026 budget to the agric sector.

Speaking to Agric Today ahead of the 2026 budget hearing, Mr. Nortey highlighted the significant role that the agric sector contributes to Ghana’s economy, been the bedrock of the economic recovery, therefore, the need for greater investment in the sector.

Accordding to him, the budget allocation to the sector should be geared towards capital infrastructure, where there should be construction of irrigation facilities, warehousing, constructing farmer service centres, good roads to transform the sector.

Transforming agriculture at the northern part of Ghana, Mr. Nortey said there should be some investments in the irrigation system like the Pwalugu Dam, desilting and reconstruction of previous constructed dams and support of small and medium-sized and solar-powered boreholes and pumps.

To mitigate importation of agriculture equipment, he said the government should commit to facilitate manufacturing of appropriate mechanization equipment like power tillers, small planters, harvesters; the government should support the private sector to develop these equipment locally.

“Currently seen what is going regarding to the gluts, we don’t want to have such experience in the future, so with that regards we are calling the government to set up an Agriculture Investment Fund, where they would be able to raise money for agriculture expenditure including mitigation of unanticipated shocks like the current happenings”, he added

Again he mentioned, the government can use the budget as a vehicle to push for procurement of exclusively locally produced foods where the state institutions would be directly mandated to purchase from the local farmers.

He bewailed at the lack of funds to the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) and asked for deliberate allocation of resources to be able to mob-up all rice and grains in the systems to curb future turbulence like how the farmers are facing.

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GH¢500m needed to tackle food glut – Eric Opoku

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has disclosed that the government will require about GH¢500 million to address the ongoing oversupply of farm produce, commonly referred to as a food glut.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, November 10, 2025, Hon. Minister stressed the importance of a coordinated and data-driven approach in resolving the issue, warning that inaction could discourage farmers from reinvesting in agriculture.

“You do not just get up and move into a farm because there is a glut. You need to move there with your technical team to ascertain the amount of farm produce to be procured.

“From the figures we are receiving, we will need about GH¢500 million to be able to clear it,” he said.

The Minister revealed that his outfit is in discussions with the World Food Programme and other development partners to explore strategies for managing the glut and preventing future occurrences.

“If we are able to deal with it properly, it can encourage our farmers to reinvest in farming because it becomes profitable. But if we don’t act and allow these foods to go to waste, it will be a huge loss of the century, and people will be demotivated to invest in agriculture,” Hon. Opoku added.

The government’s move forms part of broader efforts to stabilise food prices, protect farmers’ livelihoods, and ensure sustainable agricultural production nationwide.

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Input dealers expect tax exemption on imports on agriculture inputs ahead of 2026 budget reading.

The agricultural input dealers have expressed a major concern on the tax imposed on the importation of agriculture inputs and machinery to Ghana.

This was revealed when the input dealers expressed their expectations for the 2026 budget hearing that would be read by the Finance Minister at the parliament on 13 November, 2025.

Speaking to Agric Today in an interview, the Managing Director of Callighana (UPL Ghana), Mr. Bernard Buertey Okutu, an input dealer said the major expectation that the input dealers are expecting from the 2026 budget is to exempt taxes on the agriculture inputs and machinery.

Accordinv to him, the import dealers raised concerns to the previous government to abolish the tax but it could not materialised. He therefore beseech the current government to heed to their plea.

He revealed that the tax abolishment on import of agricultural inputs and machinery would dovetail the Feed Ghana Initiative, because with low cost of inputs, farmers would be able to increase production, hence strengthen food security in the country.

He expects the 2026 budget to scrub the import tax on agriculture inputs and machinery to lessen the production cost.

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President Mahama to launch “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” programme on Wednesday in Kumasi

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of Government Communications, has stated that on Wednesday, November 12, President John Dramani Mahama will officially launch the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” programme in Kumasi.

While details of the programme have not been fully disclosed, it is expected to focus on community development and youth empowerment initiatives in line with the government’s social intervention agenda.

The week will culminate on Thursday, November 13, with the Finance Minister presenting the 2026 Budget in Parliament.

The budget is anticipated to include far-reaching policy initiatives aimed at economic growth, job creation, and social welfare improvements, as well as strategies to strengthen fiscal discipline and resource mobilisation across key sectors.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu described the week as “very important,” emphasising that these events collectively highlight the government’s commitment to accountability, development, and public engagement.

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Agric Minister Calls for Sustainable Agribusiness Transformation at GAAE Annual Conference

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has underscored the urgent need for Ghana to transition from subsistence farming to a dynamic and sustainable agri-food economy capable of competing globally and ensuring national food security.

Addressing the opening session of the 2025 Annual Conference of the Ghana Association of Agricultural Economists (GAAE) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, on Thursday, November 6, 2025, the Minister said this year’s theme, “Transforming Agri-Food Systems in Developing Economies through Sustainable Agribusiness Development,” reflects one of the biggest economic opportunities facing Ghana today.

He highlighted the central role agriculture continues to play in Ghana’s economy, contributing about 20 percent to national GDP and employing one-third of the workforce, with more than 70 percent of rural households depending on the sector for their livelihoods.

Despite this contribution, the Minister lamented persistent productivity challenges, rising food imports and significant post-harvest losses amounting to as much as 30 percent of output. Ghana’s food import bill currently exceeds US$3 billion annually, largely driven by rice, poultry and processed food imports.

“The challenge before us is not simply to produce more food, but to transform our entire agri-food system — ensuring that the process is profitable, inclusive and environmentally responsible,” he emphasized.

Hon. Opoku noted that Africa’s food and agribusiness market is projected to exceed US$1 trillion by 2030, an opportunity that can only be realised through strong value chains, innovation and investment in sustainable agribusiness.

Policy Direction

The Minister outlined two key government policies aimed at driving the transformation agenda — the Feed Ghana Policy and the 24-Hour Economy Policy.

The Feed Ghana Policy, he said, seeks to strengthen domestic food production through improved seed access, irrigation expansion, mechanisation, post-harvest infrastructure and agro-processing.

Touching on the 24-Hour Economy initiative, the Minister said the policy is designed to boost productivity by supporting continuous operations in food logistics, processing and storage to reduce delays, improve market efficiency and create more jobs.

Role of Academia and Youth

Hon. Opoku called on agricultural economists and researchers to partner government by providing evidence-based frameworks for investment and policy reforms while bridging the gap between research and industry.

He stressed the strategic role of Ghana’s youthful population in modernizing agriculture through digital technologies, innovation hubs and agribusiness entrepreneurship.

Climate and Sustainability

The Minister expressed concern about the worsening impacts of climate change on agricultural production, citing significant crop losses recorded in recent years. He assured that government is prioritising climate-smart agriculture, efficient water management and soil health restoration to build a resilient sector.Partnerships EssentialHe appealed for stronger collaboration among government institutions, the private sector, investors, development partners and academia in driving agri-food transformation.“This conference is more than an academic event — it is a call to action. The decisions we make today will shape the food systems of tomorrow,” he stated.Hon. Opoku thanked the leadership of GAAE for the platform and expressed optimism that engagements from the conference will contribute positively to Ghana’s agricultural growth agenda.

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Callighana donates GH¢50 thousand worth of items to the Ministry of Agric to support the 41st Farmers’ Day Celebration

Callighana has donated items worth fifty thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢50,000) to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to support Farmers’ Day Celebration.

Callighana, a subsidiary of the global group UPL that involve in importation of agrochemical products, spraying and drip irrigation equipment is committed to supporting farmers to enhance food production to strengthening Ghana’s food system and improve farmers’ livelihood.

The items, 10 mix blowers valued at thirty thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢30,000) and a cheque of twenty thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢20,000), totalling fifty thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢50,000) to support the national level of the Farmers’ Day Celebration.

According to the financial controller of Callighana, Mr. Peter Tetteh, over 20 years in the agriculture space, Callighana has been supporting the gallant farmers.

“Callighana has been in the agric space for more than 20 years and we have always partnered the ministry on most of their events, and for a consistent period, we always add value to agric space and as the partnership we have with the ministry, we always support our gallant farmers to have fruitful celebration when it comes to farmers’ day,” Mr. Tetteh added.

He mentioned that the donation is not only at the national level, but it goes down to the district level where most of the items and money are donated to the farmers to have a fruitful farmers’ day celebration.

He encouraged other input dealers to donate to support the farmers’ day since the future is agric and the country also depends on agric and honouring the farmers would serve as an incentive to produce more.

Receiving the donation, the Minister of Agric, Hon. Eric Opoku commended Callighana for the kind gesture towards the farmers’ day celebration.

“We thank you very much for supporting the celebration of the 41st National Farmers’ Day. I have been in the ministry almost a year now and the records indicate that every year you support this good course, we appreciate your effort,” Minister said.

Speaking to Agric Today, minister emphasised that the donations are for the betterment of the farmers who go through all the difficulties to make food available for the nation.

He commend Callighana for the kind gesture and assured their recognition during the farmers’ day celebration.

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Peasant Farmers Association calls for immediate action to resolve grains glut crisis in the country

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.

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Agric Minister calls for youth-centred investments in agriculture to address rising unemployment

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. Eric Opoku has called for urgent, innovative, and youth-driven interventions to address the growing unemployment crisis across Africa, insisting agriculture remains the continent’s most sustainable pathway to prosperity.

Speaking as a guest speaker at the Africa Youth Day 2025 Ministerial Youth Dialogue held at the Accra International Conference Centre, Mr. Opoku highlighted that the continent currently produces nine million unemployed youth every year—capable and willing to work, yet unable to find opportunities.

“If the situation is not addressed, the future is calamitous,” he warned.

The Minister cited World Bank figures indicating that in Ghana alone, 500,000 young people enter the job market annually, but only a fraction secure meaningful employment due to limited job openings.

Mr Opoku said the resources available to Africa, particularly in agriculture, offer a clear competitive advantage.

With 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa contributes only 10 percent to global food production—an imbalance he described as a “missed opportunity.”

He also stressed the need for value addition to agricultural commodities, revealing that although Africa produces large volumes of raw cocoa beans, the continent captures only 5 percent of the $130 billion global chocolate market.

“We export raw materials and receive peanuts, only for those materials to be processed and sold back to us at high prices,” he stated.

Citing research from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Minister emphasised that every $1 invested in sustainable agriculture yields a return of $23, making the sector the most efficient tool for wealth creation.

However, despite agriculture employing 38.3 percent of Ghana’s population, he noted that youth participation stands at only 5 percent, with the average Ghanaian farmer aged 45. This aging workforce, he said, threatens future food security.

As part of measures to reverse the trend, Hon. Opoku announced a campaign for mass participation in agriculture aimed at making the sector more attractive and profitable for young people.

He also raised concerns over heavy food import bills, revealing that Ghana spends $3 billion annually on food imports, including $400 million on tomatoes alone, despite its fertile lands.

He noted that in 2022, Ghana produced just 15,000 metric tons of poultry out of a national consumption estimate of 324,000 metric tons.

“What is wrong with us?” he questioned. “We must rise to unlock our full agricultural potential.”

The Minister reiterated that youth-led agricultural solutions and accountability in policy implementation are crucial for national development and food sovereignty.

The event, held under the theme “Accountability, Policy and Youth-Led Solutions for National Development,” brought together policymakers, development agencies, young entrepreneurs, and civil society to advance strategic actions that empower Africa’s youth.

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