Fertilizer prices are expected to increase globally by 7% in 2025, according to a new outlook by the World Bank. For Ghana, this projection spells more trouble for an already strained agricultural sector, where access to fertilizer has been declining steadily over the past two years.
Ghana’s fertilizer imports dropped by 40% in 2023, after the government was unable to continue its flagship seed and fertilizer subsidy programme. The withdrawal, which began in 2022 due to fiscal pressures, left many farmers without the support they had come to rely on to sustain crop yields.
The anticipated price hike comes at a time when affordability is already a major barrier. Inputs like diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea, critical for staple crops, are becoming increasingly out of reach for smallholder farmers. As global input costs rise, local access continues to narrow.
The implications are serious. Most Ghanaian farmers operate at small scale, and with limited financial buffer, even modest increases in input costs can push them out of production. A continued squeeze on fertilizer access threatens to undercut food production, widen the food security gap, and increase dependency on imports.
In response to growing concerns, the government has introduced the Feed Ghana Programme, an initiative under the broader Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II strategy.
One of its key pillars is the Grains and Legumes Development Initiative, which focuses on boosting production of crops like maize, rice, sorghum, and soybean. The programme promises improved access to high-quality inputs, including fertilizers, and investment in storage and processing infrastructure to strengthen the value chain.
Still, the road to recovery appears steep. Rising global prices and past policy lapses have already left a dent in the system. Without timely and targeted interventions, the gap between input needs and availability may only grow, leaving many farmers bracing for another difficult planting season.
