The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has urged the Government to immediately implement a rice import quota policy and introduce urgent measures to address the growing challenges confronting local rice producers and the wider agricultural sector.
The Association said while proposals to regulate rice imports were welcome, swift action was needed to protect local farmers from mounting losses resulting from unsold produce and falling farm-gate prices.
In a statement, PFAG called for a six-month moratorium on rice imports to enable locally produced rice currently on the market to be sold.
According to the Association, the temporary suspension would provide much-needed relief to farmers, help stabilise prices and restore confidence in the domestic rice industry.
PFAG also called on the Government to strengthen efforts to combat rice smuggling through Ghana’s borders, describing the illegal trade as a major threat to local rice production and farmer livelihoods.
The Association urged national security agencies to intensify enforcement operations and regularly provide updates on anti-smuggling activities.
It further advocated the establishment of a legal and regulatory framework requiring government ministries, departments and agencies, state-owned enterprises, public hospitals, schools, prisons and the security services to procure locally produced rice and other staple foods.
PFAG said compliance with such a policy should be closely monitored and supported by sanctions for institutions that fail to meet procurement requirements.
The Association also proposed direct procurement arrangements between public institutions and farmer organisations to guarantee reliable markets for agricultural produce.
In addition, PFAG called for an urgent review of the operations of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), including its procurement processes, financing arrangements and institutional capacity.
It said NAFCO should be restructured and adequately resourced to function as an efficient and accountable purchaser of locally produced commodities, particularly during periods of market surplus.
The Association further recommended the establishment of a dedicated price stabilisation fund for rice and other strategic food crops to protect farmers from price fluctuations and ensure fair returns on investment.
PFAG also urged government to increase investment in post-harvest infrastructure, including storage facilities, milling plants and market linkage systems, to reduce losses and improve the competitiveness of locally produced rice.
Beyond rice production, the Association noted that farmers cultivating maize, cassava, yam, soybean and cowpea were facing similar challenges, including poor market access, declining prices and significant post-harvest losses.
It warned that the difficulties confronting producers across multiple agricultural value chains could undermine Ghana’s food security and economic resilience if left unaddressed.
PFAG therefore called for the adoption of a comprehensive Agricultural Market Stabilisation Policy to tackle challenges related to price volatility, storage, procurement and market access across the sector.
With a new planting season approaching, the Association said farmers needed assurances that their investments would be protected and that viable markets would exist for their produce.
PFAG reaffirmed its commitment to working with government and other stakeholders to advance food self-sufficiency and strengthen the agricultural sector, stressing the need for concrete actions to safeguard farmer livelihoods and boost local food production.
