Hundreds of rice farmers and processors from the five northern regions staged a peaceful protest in Tamale to demand immediate government intervention in Ghana’s struggling grain sector.
Their demonstration highlighted mounting challenges, including the lack of a ready market for local produce, a glut caused by surplus supply, and the steady influx of cheaper imported rice and maize that has crippled local businesses. The protesters accused the government of failing to honour its pledge to purchase local grains through the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO).
Carrying placards that urged Ghanaians to “Eat Ghana Rice” and “Boycott Farmers’ Day Until Farmers Are Heard,” the demonstrators marched through the streets before presenting a petition to the Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John.
The group, made up of farmers, cooperatives, aggregators, and processors, warned that the rice and maize industry was nearing collapse, with over one million tonnes of paddy rice valued at GH¢5 billion still unsold. Many millers, they said, had suspended operations because imported and often substandard rice was flooding the market.
The farmers called on government to impose a temporary six-month ban on rice and maize imports to help clear existing local stock, while also lifting restrictions on soya bean exports to allow farmers access to broader markets.
In the petition, the Committee for the Promotion of Ghana Rice, Maize and Soya Commodities noted that grains account for nearly 20% of Ghana’s GDP and support millions of livelihoods. Yet, with the harvest season over and buyers nowhere to be found, many farmers remain uncertain about how to recover their investments or prepare for the next planting season.
Committee member Jawbaratu Abdul Aziz said hopes raised by earlier government assurances had faded, as no purchases had been made despite public promises. She further questioned how grain purchase funds were being managed, insisting that much of the money never reached farmers on the ground.
Chairman of the Association of Ghana Rice Producers and Processors, Alhaji Saibu Braimah, disclosed that more than 200 tonnes of rice and 400 tonnes of maize remain trapped in warehouses with no buyers. He also described the government’s GH¢100 million allocation for grain purchases as grossly inadequate.
In frustration, the farmers announced they would boycott this year’s National Farmers’ Day, arguing that there was little to celebrate while their livelihoods hung in the balance.
Receiving the petition, Northern Regional Minister Ali Adolf John praised the farmers for their contribution to national food security and assured them that their grievances would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for urgent attention.
