PFAG Calls for Immediate Action to Address National Grain Glut Crisis
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called on government to take urgent steps to address the worsening grain glut affecting rice and maize farmers nationwide.
According to the Association, more than 200,000 metric tonnes of unsold paddy rice and maize from the last farming season remain unpurchased, while several rice farms are still unharvested. The situation, PFAG warns, is creating severe financial distress for farmers, many of whom face risks of bird invasions, bushfires and limited harvesting capacity.
In a statement signed by Bismark Owusu Nortey, the Acting Executive Director of PFAG, he cautioned that failure to act swiftly could derail the government’s Feed Ghana programme and discourage youth participation in agriculture during the next planting season.
NAFCO Interventions Yet to Materialise
PFAG expressed concern that despite the National Food Buffer Stock Company’s (NAFCO) earlier announcement of GHS 100 million for the purchase of surplus produce and the setting of minimum guaranteed prices for maize, rice and gari, farmers have yet to benefit from the initiative.
The Association noted the absence of clear data or reports on which districts benefited from the initial allocation, raising questions about transparency and accountability in the implementation process.
While welcoming the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s announcement of an additional GHS 100 million to help resolve the crisis, PFAG urged the government to ensure the funds are utilised transparently and efficiently.
PFAG’s Key Demands
To restore confidence among farmers, PFAG has called for:
Immediate publication of companies, locations and quantities of grains procured with the initial GHS 100 million;
Clear timelines for the commencement of purchases under the new GHS 100 million allocation; and
A published list of all approved Licensed Buying Companies, Millers, and Aggregators with their assigned operational locations for direct farmer engagement.
The Association stressed that these measures should be deployed without delay to safeguard farmers’ investments and prevent further post-harvest losses.
Broader Policy Recommendations
PFAG also reiterated its earlier recommendations for legislation mandating all state institutions including schools, hospitals and security agencies to procure only locally produced rice and maize.
It further called for tighter border controls to curb the smuggling of inferior rice and a temporary suspension of rice imports until the local market stabilises.
The Association urged the Ministries of Agriculture, Trade and Information to collaborate on coordinated national campaigns promoting local rice consumption.
Long-Term Strategy Needed
PFAG emphasised that beyond short-term interventions, government must develop a comprehensive, long-term national strategy to address marketing challenges across the agricultural value chain including cereals, legumes and vegetables, to prevent future crises.
Failure to act, it warned, could erode farmer confidence, reduce production levels, and undermine Ghana’s goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency.
