The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called on the government to fast-track critical agricultural reforms to improve food security, reduce the country’s growing food import bill, and protect the livelihoods of farmers nationwide.
In a statement commemorating the 41st National Farmers Day, Mr Wepia Adugwala A. Addo, National President of PFAG, congratulated all farmers, particularly smallholder farmers for their resilience and contribution to national development.
He also commended award recipients at the district, regional and national levels, saying their achievements should inspire renewed commitment to agricultural production.
Mr Addo said this year’s celebration, themed: “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future,” complemented the government’s agricultural transformation agenda.
He acknowledged recent initiatives, including the increased 2026 budget allocation for agriculture, the Feed Ghana Programme, the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” poultry project, and various vegetable development interventions, noting that these policies were already showing encouraging results.
Despite these gains, he said systemic constraints continued to hinder productivity. The recent surplus of staple crops, he noted, highlighted long-standing post-harvest and supply chain challenges that required urgent, sustainable solutions.
Outlining PFAG’s priority areas, Mr Addo urged significant investment in production infrastructure.
He said although the 2026 budget provided GH¢105 million for irrigation and GH¢828 million for agricultural roads, the allocations remained inadequate for the scale of investment required.
“PFAG is advocating for major irrigation facilities across the country, the establishment of agricultural land banks, solar-powered irrigation systems, and improved road networks linking food-producing communities,” he said.
He further called on the government to intensify efforts to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen market linkages.
While welcoming measures to enhance the operations of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) and directives for public schools to purchase local food supplies, he stressed the need for legislation to make such directives mandatory.
Mr Addo also proposed a transparent, data-driven procurement system and the formulation of a national crop marketing strategy to prevent recurring market gluts.
He urged the government to adopt measures that would cushion farmers against future shocks, recalling the disruptions caused by COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, unpredictable weather patterns and persistent market imbalances.
“PFAG is proposing the establishment of an Agriculture Development Fund to mitigate shocks and reduce uncertainty for farmers,” he said.
On governance, Mr Addo called for a review of decentralisation arrangements to enhance the integration of agriculture into local governance structures.
He said the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) currently lacked provisions for agricultural interventions, while district agricultural officers continued to operate with inadequate logistics.
PFAG is therefore advocating a revision of the DACF formula to include support for agricultural activities.
He expressed deep concern over the growing destruction of farmlands and water bodies caused by illegal mining and sand winning activities.
Describing the trend as alarming and a grave threat to national food security, he urged decisive government action to protect agricultural lands from what he termed “these terrorists.”
Mr Addo reaffirmed PFAG’s appreciation for the critical role farmers played in sustaining Ghana’s food and nutrition security.
He said while current government efforts were commendable, addressing persistent challenges remained a national imperative.
He called on all stakeholders to collaborate in transforming recommendations into concrete action, stressing that building a resilient and inclusive agricultural ecosystem was essential for securing Ghana’s long-term future.
