Ghana’s private seed industry did not significantly expand its production capacity despite benefiting from substantial public investment under Phase One of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, Dr Amos Rutherford Azinu has said.
Dr Azinu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Legacy Crop Improvement Centre (LCIC), stated that although government support under PFJ was designed to strengthen seed production and enhance national food security, the anticipated structural transformation of the sector did not materialise.
Speaking in an interview, he noted that government invested approximately GHS 2.8 billion between 2017 and 2022 under the first phase of PFJ to improve farmers’ access to certified seeds and boost agricultural productivity.
According to him, the intervention was expected to help build a competitive and resilient seed industry capable of supporting food security efforts and reducing dependence on imported seeds.
“While PFJ contributed to increased production of some crops, the private seed sector itself did not undergo the level of transformation required to sustain long-term productivity growth,” he said.
Dr Azinu observed that many private seed operators did not channel public support into expanding critical infrastructure such as seed conditioning plants, storage facilities, and quality assurance systems.
He recalled that PFJ, launched in 2017 as a flagship agricultural programme, focused on raising yields through fertiliser and improved seed subsidies. However, weak governance structures and limited accountability mechanisms undermined the programme’s impact on the seed value chain.
He alleged that some beneficiary companies diverted resources into acquiring vehicles and other non-productive assets instead of investing in production capacity.
“This reflects significant gaps in oversight and verification,” he said, adding that stronger monitoring systems could have ensured that funds were tied to measurable expansion in seed production.
Dr Azinu indicated that the consequences were felt by farmers, particularly smallholder producers who continued to experience shortages of high-quality seeds. Distribution bottlenecks, delays, and inadequate storage and processing infrastructure persisted in several production zones.
“These challenges meant that public spending did not fully translate into sustained improvements in productivity,” he added.
He rejected claims that the private seed sector lacked government backing, describing such assertions as inconsistent with the scale of investment made under PFJ.
“The programme’s design assumed that private firms would match public support with long-term capital investment. In many instances, that did not happen,” he said.
Dr Azinu called for a comprehensive audit of PFJ-related seed expenditures and the performance of beneficiary suppliers. He said such a review should examine assets acquired, facilities established, and seed volumes produced by participating firms.
Where funds were misapplied, he suggested that recovery measures be considered.
For future agricultural interventions, he recommended stronger controls, including milestone-based disbursements tied to verified production targets, independent validation of seed volumes, and mandatory investments in infrastructure upgrades and quality assurance systems.
He also advocated the adoption of digital tracking systems to enhance transparency and traceability across the seed value chain.
Dr Azinu said LCIC would continue to support reforms through research, early-generation seed production, and stakeholder collaboration to strengthen the sector.
He expressed optimism that with improved accountability and better alignment between public investment and national production goals, Ghana could still develop a resilient and efficient seed system.
Independent assessments of PFJ have indicated that while the programme recorded gains in output, it also faced implementation delays, quality concerns, and efficiency challenges that limited its overall impact.
Dr Azinu stressed that future agricultural policies must prioritise measurable outcomes, including increased availability of certified seeds, improved farmer access, and sustained productivity growth.
He said progress in these areas would contribute to enhanced food security, reduced price volatility, and stronger rural livelihoods.
