The government of Ghana has imposed an immediate ban on the export of grains in response to the ongoing drought affecting the Northern regions. This decision was announced by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, during a press briefing in Accra on Monday, August 27.
The ban aims to ensure that enough crops remain available for the domestic market amidst the challenging weather conditions. To help mitigate the impact on farmers, Mr. Acheampong urged those with grain stocks to make them available if they are interested in selling.
“With immediate effect, the government is placing a ban on the export of grains including maize, rice, and soya bean until the situation normalizes. This measure is essential to ensure the availability of these critical crops on the domestic market,” he stated.
He explained that the measure is also intended to prevent farmers from suffering losses due to the export ban until the drought is resolved. “Any farmer with stock and interested in selling should contact our district directors across the country, our district aggregators, or the directorate of crops at the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that they do not suffer adversely as a result of this ban,” Mr. Acheampong added.
The severe drought in the Northern region has devastated crops, leaving little hope for successful production. This situation has occurred despite government initiatives such as the One Village One Dam project and the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme, which is currently in its second phase.
