Author: Sefakor

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) is advocating for the prioritisation of agriculture policies to reduce the country’s $2 billion annual food import bill. According to the agric Association, the country has the ability to produce enough food products locally however, it needs greater support in mechanised farming, all-year-round agriculture instead of rain-fed systems while calling for transparent subsidies on agricultural inputs. The Acting Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Bismark Nortey, made these pronouncements whilst speaking to Citi Business News on the need for urgent policy interventions to transform the sector said, “Currently, one of…

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has called for the creation of a strategic relationship between agriculture and industry, stressing the need for such collaborations to enhance job opportunities for the youth and the good people of Ghana. According to him, the “symbiotic relationship between agriculture and industry must be mutually beneficial, so that, there can be jobs for the youth, whilst ensuring food sufficiency to the theming population.” Hon. Opoku also stressed the need to channel resources to more important agricultural interventions whilst cancelling those that no longer serve their purpose. “There is the need for us…

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has given an explanation that, the Red Dye-3 or erythrosine (E127) may be used in food products, however, this should be guided by the General Standard for Food Additives. According to the authority, the standards (GSFA 2024)/Codex Stan 192-1995), revised in 2024, were approved by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation Joint Expert Committee on Food Additive to ensure regulations. In a press releas, the FDA said it has since been monitoring products for possible adulteration. The FDA’s decision follows a media report regarding a research conducted by the Kwame…

An Agronomist and product developer, Eric Asante, has highlighted some potential benefits of seed nursing before transferring them for transplanting. Mr Asante says the nursery of seeds before transplanting improves germination and colonisation, saves time, space, and labour, and facilitates maintenance. In an interview with The Ghanaian Farmer, he emphasised the significance of cleanliness and proper sanitation to improve the quality of nursed seeds. “The soil or field for the nursery needs to be weed-free, sterilizing nursery trays, while preheating the soils for the nursery to rid of any pests and diseases. It is also necessary to ensure that the…

Ghana’s cocoa is under siege as illegal small-scale mining, felling of timber and sand mining activities have destroyed 30,000 hectares of cocoa farms nationwide as of December 2024. The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Dr Randy Abbey, made this known during a conference for members of Parliament in Accra. He said another 50,000 hectares of cocoa farms were at risk of destruction. “Illegal small-scale mining is ultimately diminishing the land under cultivation, levels of output and incomes of cocoa farmers,” Dr Abbey stated. He also indicated that because of the impact of illegal mining on cocoa farms, Japan and the…

A team of engineers and officials from the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) has visited the Weta Irrigation Scheme to assess the critical challenges affecting rice farmers in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region. The inspection tour was aimed at identifying immediate and long-term solutions to restore the scheme’s efficiency and safeguard the livelihoods of over 1,200 farming families. Speaking to the media after the visit, the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Mr Eric Edem Agbana, assured farmers that urgent measures would be taken in the coming weeks to provide short-term relief before the start of the…

The Ghanaian Farmer has successfully organised its maiden agro-tourism excursion for agric enthusiasts and entrepreneurs in the agribusiness sector. In partnership with Count on Crops Hub, a firm dedicated to agricultural revitalisation, and the Young Farmers Development Organisation (YOFDO), the trip to Farm Fresh Foods, arguably one of the biggest poultry farms in the sub-region, was nothing short of spectacular and educational. Farm Fresh Foods, a poultry farm nestled in the dense forests of the northern Cape Coast, was established in 2019. With operations fully commencing in February 2022, the farm specialises in layers, with a capacity of 150,000 birds,…

President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that Ghana’s cocoa sector is in deep financial crisis, with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) owing a total debt of GHC32.5 billion. Delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Thursday, February 27, 2025, he disclosed that GHC9.7 billion of this debt is due for payment by September 2025. According to the President, COCOBOD’s financial struggles worsened when it failed to deliver 333,767 metric tons of cocoa that had already been sold at $2,600 per ton during the 2023/2024 season. The contracts were then rolled over into the 2024/2025 season, causing massive…

The agriculture sector over the years have received commentaries on its potential on turning Ghana’s economy around for good with the right investments and implementation. As part a reset agenda by the new government, President John Dramani Mahama has announced that his government will industrialise the agricultural sector to attract the youth to venture into the sector. According to him, his government will prioritise value addition on agricultural products, processing and export, which will position the sector as profitable and appealing to young people in the country. “We will implement an agric programme to facilitate access to land banks by…

President John Dramani Mahama says his government has put in place measures to remap the agricultural sector through agro processing with reliable power sources. Delivering his first State of the Nation Address on Thursday, 27 February,2025 at the floor of parliament, President Mahama stressed that, the Agriculture For Economic Transformation Agenda, (AETA) will modernise agriculture , enhance agribusiness and ensure food security. “Ghana has fertile lands, abundant water and human resources yet we face a paradox. Rising food inflation is burdening households and threatening livelihoods. To address this, we’re introducing agro processing. This will be backed by reliable power supply…