The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has warned that a severe grain glut threatens the livelihoods of thousands of farmers nationwide, with more than 200,000 metric tonnes of unsold paddy rice and maize from last season still stuck in warehouses and fields. Some rice farms remain unharvested, exposing farmers to bird invasions, bushfires, and inadequate harvesting equipment.
In a statement signed by PFAG National President Wepia Addo Awal Adugwala, National Secretary Isaac Pabia, and Acting Executive Director Bismark Owusu Nortey, the association cautioned that the crisis has placed both farmers’ investments and the government’s Feed Ghana programme at risk. They warned that without urgent intervention, many farmers, particularly young people, may abandon cultivation next season due to mounting frustration and financial hardship.
Earlier this year, the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) announced the release of 100 million Ghana cedis to purchase excess produce and establish minimum guaranteed prices for maize, rice and gari. While farmers welcomed the move as better than what middlemen offered, despite considering the prices low, the PFAG noted that farmers have yet to witness any actual purchases by approved buying companies.
The association stated that no information or data exists on which districts have benefited, raising concerns about accountability and transparency. PFAG Executive Director Bismark Owusu Nortey expressed concern over the lack of visible impact, noting he had received no reports from farmers confirming they had sold produce to NAFCO.
Responding to continued appeals, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture recently announced an additional 100 million Ghana cedis to tackle the crisis. PFAG welcomed this swift action but called for greater transparency and efficiency to restore farmer confidence.
The association is demanding immediate publication of the companies, locations and quantities of grains procured with the initial funding, along with clear timelines for grain purchases under the new allocation. It also requested publication of a comprehensive list of all approved licensed buying companies, millers and aggregators, with their assigned operational areas, to enable direct engagement with farmers.
PFAG reiterated its call for legislation mandating all state institutions, including schools, hospitals and security services, to procure only locally produced rice and maize. The association urged stronger border controls to prevent smuggling of inferior rice and recommended a temporary ban on rice imports until the local market stabilises.
The association proposed coordinated public campaigns by relevant ministries and stakeholders to promote consumption of locally produced rice. It stressed that immediate implementation of these measures would help ease farmers’ distress and safeguard national food security, warning that failure to act could reduce rice production and derail Ghana’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in rice.
PFAG called on the government and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive, long term national strategy to address marketing challenges across all crops, including vegetables, cereals and legumes, to prevent similar crises in the future.
