Smallholder farmers across Ghana are urging the government to urgently release funds for the national fertiliser subsidy programme, warning that continued delays could devastate livelihoods and weaken food production in the 2026 farming season.
The farmers say administrative bottlenecks have left thousands without access to subsidized fertiliser at a crucial period in the planting calendar, forcing many to either purchase costly commercial inputs or scale down their farm sizes.
The call is coming in the midst of the Ministry of Agriculture’s planned distribution of 40,000 bags of fertiliser on Tuesday, June 15, 2026.
The sector Minister, Eric Opoku, announced that the intervention forms part of a broader strategy to support smallholder farmers with essential inputs needed to improve yields and enhance livelihoods.
According to the Minister, the fertilizer distribution is expected to benefit thousands of farmers, particularly those engaged in the cultivation of staple food crops.
Beyond input challenges, farmers are also grappling with severe market difficulties.
Many grain producers, particularly maize and rice farmers, report heavy losses from the last farming season due to gluts, which led to sharp price drops and significant post-harvest losses. With limited storage and poor market access, large quantities of produce went unsold, deepening financial strain across farming communities.
They fear the combination of high input costs and poor market returns could trigger widespread hardship in some of the country’s most productive agricultural zones.
President of the Peasant Farmers Association (PFA), Mr. Douglas Annor, described the situation as alarming, stressing that farmers are already burdened by rising production costs and low returns on their produce.
He revealed that the association had formally engaged the government on the issue but was still awaiting a response.
“We have formally written to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture regarding this critical issue, but we are yet to receive a response,” Mr. Annor said.
He urged the government to expedite the release of subsidized fertilizer to prevent further losses among farmers.
According to the PFA, the delay stems from a funding impasse between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, which oversees the distribution of subsidized fertilizer, and the Ministry of Finance, which is yet to release the required funds.
The situation has left many growers stranded without essential farm inputs despite the government’s commitment to revitalizing the agricultural sector.
Farmers in major food-producing areas including Ejura, Nkoranza, Techiman, Goaso and Sefwi Wiawso say they have not benefited from fertilizer subsidies since 2025.
Many report declining crop performance, shrinking farm sizes, and mounting post-harvest losses as they struggle to cope with soaring input costs and weak market demand.
“The farms are hungry,” said Opanin Kwaku Ntiamoah, a veteran farmer from Goaso. “Without fertilizer, the crops cannot grow well, and without good harvests, we cannot take care of our families.”
Farmers are now calling for immediate action from both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, warning that further delays could threaten national food security and the future of farming in Ghana.
