Author: Sefakor

Ghanaian farmers deserve to earn higher and more sustainable prices for producing quality and healthier food. Over the years, Ghanaians have become increasingly health-conscious. This creates an opportunity to establish a stronger price–quality relationship in our agricultural sector. Consumers who value healthier, responsibly produced food should have the opportunity to identify it and pay a premium for it. Unfortunately, our markets are currently saturated with agricultural produce without a reliable system to distinguish how, where and under what conditions the produce was produced. As a result, the farmer who invests more in quality often receives almost the same price as…

One after the other, tomato farmers in Akumadan in the Offinso North District of the Ashanti Region, took their turn to register for a financial support package that seeks to improve livelihoods and address post-harvest losses. FarmMate Africa, an agricultural company in partnership with Pan African Savings & Loans, subsidiary of Ecobank, has brought renewed hope to the “farmers to overcome one of their biggest challenges: access to finance.” Land preparation, inputs and labour are capital intensive becoming a major barrier to achieving their full production potential for many farmers. “Through this partnership, farmers can access financial support of up…

Chairman of the Volta Coconut Farmers Association (COFAG-Volta), Togbe Dunenyo I (George Ofori), has announced that the Volta Region will host the 2026 edition of the International Coconut Festival in Ho, the regional capital, this November. The announcement marks the first time the International Festival will be held in the Volta Region, one of Ghana’s major coconut-growing belts. Togbe Dunenyo I made the announcement ahead of preparations for the festival on August 23, 2026, describing Ho as the perfect next chapter for the coconut story. He clarified that the 2026 edition is the International Festival, bringing the International platform to…

Malaysia has leveraged on nuclear technology to develop cassava varieties with the potential to mature in about six months, reducing the maturity period needed for existing ones to nearly half, 11 to 12 months. According to the Malaysian Nuclear Agency research officer, Norazlina Noordin work on the new varieties started through a research that began in 2021, adding that it recorded higher yields than conventional planting materials. She said after further evaluation and development the varieties could be commercialised within the next two years. The research aims to shorten cassava’s maturity period without compromising yields, potentially allowing farmers to plant…

Piles of unsold certified seed has left growers in the Upper East Region appealing to the government to urgently come to their aid.   With large quantities of produce stuck in warehouses, the farmers said weak market demand has left significant volumes of certified seeds in storage, threatening their investments and livelihoods. During a stakeholder engagement organised by the National Seed Council in Bolgatanga, they called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to offtake the excess stock and create reliable markets for locally produced seeds. As part of urgent measures, the growers also urged the government to put…

Tomato farmers in the Upper East Region are testing improved varieties developed by WorldVeg to address challenges linked to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, pests, diseases, and limited access to quality seed. Demonstration plots in Bonia, Gambibgo, and Goriko compared six WorldVeg varieties with local tomato varieties under field conditions. The trials included three hybrid lines, CLN4333, CLN4335, and CLN4344, and three open-pollinated BENTO varieties, BENTO-12, BENTO-18, and BENTO-19. The hybrid varieties recorded yields of 78.5 tons per hectare, 75.8 tons per hectare, and 73.6 tons per hectare, respectively. The BENTO varieties produced between 62.8 and 67.3 tons per hectare, while…

Civil Society Group Arise Ghana has told the government to improve agricultural marketing systems to guarantee farmers reliable and profitable markets. It also told the government to invest heavily in storage and agro-processing to reduce post-harvest losses. The group says agriculture must be treated as a long-term national priority, with policies backed by strong institutions and legislation rather than short-term political interventions. “Ghana has the land, human resources, entrepreneurial talent and agricultural potential to become a major food-producing and agro-processing economy in Africa. What we need is consistency, investment, accountability and a long-term national vision,” a statement they issued said.…

The management of the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) has said that the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026 does not remove the guaranteed producer price. It said that it rather puts a minimum producer price guarantee into law. CMC said it has noted with concerns raised about the possibility of if the Bill removing the guaranteed producer price. However, it referred to section 57 of the Bill which establishes a statutory cocoa pricing formula and expressly provides that: “The producer price for a crop season shall not be less than seventy per cent of the Gross Free on Board price realised…

A week after viral videos from Madina where a market woman raised an alarm over the alleged use of chemicals to ripen plantains and bananas, a trader has been arrested for selling unapproved chemicals. According to a news report by myjoyonline, she was apprehended on Tuesday, August 18, during an operation conducted by a task force from the Madina-La Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly, together with personnel from the Madina Police and the Environmental Health Unit. The concerns came to light during a meeting between officials of the Assembly and traders at the Madina Market on Wednesday, August 12. Some traders raised…

Some cocoa farmers have petitioned president John Dramani Mahama over uncertainty in the new crop season. In their petition, they noted that cocoa is an important aspect of the economy yet the experiences of many families in the 2025/26 crop season have left them discouraged. They want clarity from the government on the availability of enough funds to purchase the cocoa beans. Below is their full statement… Date: 17th August, 2026 H.E. JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA President of the Republic of Ghana Jubilee House Accra, Ghana PETITION FOR CLARITY, ASSURANCE, AND URGENT INTERVENTION AHEAD OF THE 2026/2027…