Ghana’s groundnut industry is seeking stronger coordination among farmers, researchers, seed producers and processors to address production and quality challenges that limit yields, constrain industrial processing and reduce the crop’s economic potential.
Stakeholders say improving access to quality seeds, developing climate-resilient varieties and meeting market standards will be critical to increasing production, strengthening local processing and creating greater value across the groundnut supply chain.
The concerns emerged at the eighth meeting of the Ghana Groundnut Working Group (GGWG) in Tamale, where industry players explored ways to translate scientific research into practical interventions to improve productivity and strengthen commercial opportunities.
The meeting, held on the theme, “Converting Scientific Efforts into Increased Productivity amongst Groundnut Farmers”, brought together researchers, government agencies, seed producers, processors, development partners, academics and students.
Discussions centred on improved seed varieties, disease management, drought tolerance, post-harvest mechanisation, processing quality and market requirements, with participants highlighting the need to connect agricultural research more directly to the needs of farmers and businesses.
Dr Francis Kusi, Director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), said collaboration was necessary to address production constraints and improve the performance of the entire value chain.
In a speech read on his behalf by Dr Richard Oteng-Frimpong, a Research Scientist at CSIR-SARI, he said the meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, identify challenges and develop practical solutions.
He said addressing constraints on farmers’ fields, alongside challenges affecting processing and marketing, would be essential to building a more productive and commercially viable groundnut industry.
Dr Jerry Nboyine, also a Research Scientist at CSIR-SARI, said the GGWG, established in 2019, had expanded beyond its initial research focus to include stakeholders in production, processing, marketing and policymaking.
He said the group was working towards developing a functional groundnut industry through coordinated interventions across the value chain.
Quality standards threaten processing opportunities
The private sector has also identified the quality of locally sourced groundnuts as a major concern for businesses seeking reliable supplies for processing.
Alhaji Fataw Alhassan of SM Ghana Limited said sourcing groundnuts that met buyers’ specifications remained a challenge, particularly regarding moisture content and aflatoxin contamination.
He said increasing production would not automatically translate into higher commercial value unless farmers adopted practices that ensured the crop met the quality standards required by processors and other buyers.
The concerns point to the need for investments in improved harvesting, drying, storage and post-harvest handling to reduce contamination, minimise losses and improve the marketability of locally produced groundnuts.
Research and technology offer productivity opportunities
Researchers at the meeting outlined efforts to develop improved groundnut varieties with desirable characteristics, including early maturity, higher oil content and resistance to diseases.
They also emphasised the importance of producing and multiplying early-generation seeds to ensure that improved varieties were available to farmers in sufficient quantities.
Graduate and undergraduate students presented research exploring the use of drone imagery and machine learning to detect crop diseases, identify drought-tolerant groundnut varieties and improve disease and weed management.
Other presentations examined gender considerations in production, post-harvest mechanisation, the nutritional value of groundnuts and indigenous innovations adopted by farmers.
Mr Abdul-Fataw Alhassan of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s Statistics, Research and Information Directorate presented groundnut production statistics, highlighting regions and districts with significant production potential that remained underexploited.
The discussions underscored the need to align research, seed development, farming practices and private sector demand to improve the competitiveness of Ghana’s groundnut industry and increase the economic returns from the crop.
