Farmers in Ghana’s Volta Region are grappling with an unexpected challenge following a bumper harvest of maize, gari, cassava dough and other staple foods a lack of ready buyers.
While the country has in recent years battled food inflation driven by climate change, high input costs and economic instability, the current farming season has produced a different reality.
Improved production and relative economic stability have resulted in abundant yields, particularly across the Tongu communities and other parts of the Volta Region. However, farmers say the absence of strong market demand is threatening their livelihoods.
Speaking in an interview, Bismark Kwabla Kpobi, a concerned citizen and political activist, described the situation as worrying despite the impressive harvest.
“Food security is a key component of national security. A nation that cannot feed itself cannot be secure,” he said. “But today, we have food in abundance and yet farmers are struggling to sell.”
According to him, inflation, which soared above 50 percent around 2022 and drove food prices sharply upward, has since reduced significantly. At the time, although consumers faced high prices, farmers were able to sell their produce at relatively higher rates.
“Now the situation has reversed,” he noted. “Production is high, but prices at the farm gate have dropped. Buyers are not coming as expected, and some farmers are forced to sell at very low prices just to prevent spoilage.”
Farmers in the Volta Region report that maize cribs, warehouses and homes are filled with produce, yet bulk buyers and market women are purchasing in smaller quantities than anticipated. The result, according to stakeholders, is falling farm-gate prices, limited storage capacity and the growing threat of post-harvest losses.
Mr. Kpobi warned that if not addressed, the situation could discourage youth participation in agriculture.
“We cannot encourage young people to go into farming and then fail to secure markets for what they produce. If farmers continue to incur losses during times of abundance, motivation will reduce,” he said.
He also pointed to the political implications of the situation, noting that market difficulties are already becoming a subject of public debate.
According to him, perceptions among farmers about economic management and market stability could influence political sentiments if urgent steps are not taken.
Outlining proposals for government intervention, Kpobi suggested activating the Buffer Stock system to purchase excess produce such as maize, gari and cassava dough. He explained that strategic buying would stabilize prices, reduce post-harvest losses and provide immediate relief to farmers.
He further called for a review of food importation policies during peak harvest seasons to protect local producers from external competition. “When our farmers have abundant produce, imports of similar items from neighboring countries should be carefully regulated,” he stated.
Additionally, he recommended stronger price monitoring to ensure fairness across the value chain, arguing that reductions at the farm gate should reflect in urban market prices.
Another key proposal he mentioned was strengthening institutional purchasing through programmes such as the national school feeding initiative.
He suggested that schools, hospitals and other public institutions should intentionally source food supplies from local farmers to create a reliable and structured market.
“A bumper harvest should be a blessing, not a burden,” Kpobi emphasized. “With deliberate government intervention and coordinated market support, this abundance can strengthen food security and stabilize rural incomes.”
For now, farmers in the Volta Region remain hopeful that policy measures will be introduced swiftly to turn the season’s surplus into economic gain rather than financial strain
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com