Rapid expansion in Ghana’s real estate sector is intensifying pressure on agricultural lands, posing a serious threat to the country’s livestock self-sufficiency, a cattle farmer has warned.
Mr. Yussif Adamu, CEO of FAIDIJA Farms, in an interview said that the conversion of grazing lands into residential estates has become a “very big problem” for farmers practicing extensive livestock production, especially in the Greater Accra Region.
Backed by research from the CGIAR Water, Land and Ecosystems programme, Ghana’s urban footprint has grown by more than 150 percent in recent decades, absorbing large areas traditionally reserved for farming.
“Almost all the lands are being sold out now to estate developers,” Mr. Adamu said. He added that the continuous loss of communal grazing corridors is forcing farmers to move long distances with their herds, often sparking tensions with local communities.
Mr. Adamu explained that the situation is compounded by rising feed costs. A truckload of brewery chaff or fruit residue, feed supplements commonly used by livestock farmers now costs up to GH¢2,000, yet sustains only 10 cattle for about two weeks.
He called for a national shift toward semi-intensive livestock production, supported by government-supplied high-yield fodder seeds, a practice widely used in countries with strong livestock industries.
“The combined pressures of land scarcity and escalating feed costs are driving people out of livestock farming, leading to a massive supply deficit,” he said.
According to him, Ghana’s domestic livestock production is unable to meet national demand. “Most of the cattle being supplied in the markets are from Nigeria, Togo, and Burkina Faso,” he disclosed, describing the rate of imports as alarming.
Data from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture shows that Ghana’s self-sufficiency in beef stands at just about 30 percent, leaving roughly 70 per cent of demand to be filled through imports.
Analysts warn that this dependency drains foreign exchange and exposes the economy to regional supply disruptions and unpredictable price surges.
Mr. Adamu urged government to establish protected grazing zones and invest in livestock-friendly infrastructure to safeguard the sector.
He also called on stakeholders to support the transition to more sustainable, land-efficient farming systems.
He cautioned that without swift intervention, Ghana’s reliance on imported livestock will continue to rise, undermining national food security and weakening the country’s economic resilience.
