The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana has called on the government to immediately suspend rice imports for a minimum of six (6) months to allow for the clearance of existing Ghanaian produced rice stocks.
According to the association, this critical measure will provide a breathing space for farmers to recover financially, stabilize farm-gate prices, and restore confidence in the local rice market.
In a press release issued by the association, the association urged the the government to direct the National Security apparatus to immediately and decisively clamp down on rice smuggling across all border points. “The ongoing illegal importation of rice is a direct economic sabotage of Ghanaian farmers and must be treated with the seriousness it deserves. We call for regular, publicly reported enforcement operations”, the release indicates.
The association called on the government to enact a legal and regulatory framework that mandates all government ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), state-owned enterprises, public hospitals, schools, prisons, the military, and other public institutions to procure only locally produced rice and other staples.
Compliance with this directive must be monitored and enforced with clear sanctions for violations. In that regard, arrangements should be made with farmer organizations, including PFAG to directly aggregate and supply the produce to these institutions.
The authorities should conduct an urgent and transparent review of the operational mandate, procurement processes, financing arrangements, and institutional capacity of the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO). NAFCO must be restructured and adequately resourced to serve as an effective, efficient, and accountable purchaser of locally produced agricultural commodities, especially during periods of market glut.
The call also states that the government should establish a dedicated price stabilization fund for rice and other strategic staples, to protect farm-gate prices and ensure farmers receive a fair and remunerative return on their investment, even during periods of oversupply.
The government should invest in post-harvest infrastructure, including storage facilities, milling capacity, and market linkage platforms, to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the competitiveness of locally produced rice against imported alternatives.
