GHANA – Ghana has suspended shipments of strategic grains, including rice, maize, and soybeans, with immediate effect, as announced by the Food and Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong, on August 26.
This measure aims to ensure the availability of these crops in the domestic market as the country grapples with extreme climatic conditions that have significantly affected harvests, particularly in the northern regions.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ghana’s cereal production is projected to reach 5.8 million tonnes in 2023, with maize accounting for more than half of the total output.
However, the ongoing climatic challenges pose a significant threat to these projections and the nation’s overall food security.
The suspension comes in response to drought conditions impacting eight key regions; Northern, North East, Bono, Bono East, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West, which collectively supply 62% of the nation’s cereal output.
The drought has also affected other critical crops such as groundnut, sorghum, millet, and yam.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 435,872 farmers managing 871,745 hectares have been directly impacted, resulting in investment losses estimated at 3.5 billion cedis (US$224 million) and potential income losses of 10.4 billion cedis (US$666 million).
To mitigate the impact of the drought, the Ghanaian government is launching an emergency aid program, with plans to secure US$500 million in funding from financial partners, including the World Bank.
Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam outlined that the funds will be used to provide cash transfers of 1,000 cedis (US$64) per hectare to the most vulnerable farmers.
The government also plans to utilize the ECOWAS grain reserve and collaborate with the private sector to import up to 300,000 tonnes of maize and 150,000 tonnes of rice to stabilize food supplies.
Recently, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) raised the alarm over the severe maize shortage plaguing the country, leaving millers and processors dependent on imports to satisfy local demand.
According to them, the maize shortage has led to soaring prices, with a 50kg bag now costing approximately US$22.50 (GH¢300) in some locations.
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