Ghana risks facing worse food security crisis – Peasant Farmers caution

Ghana drops to 82nd on Global Food Security Index

Agric Minister’s recent comments are appalling – Agric Groups

Food inflation reaches 17.40% for February 2022

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has cautioned that Ghana’s food security situation could possibly worsen if stringent measures are not adopted to deal with the situation.

The warning comes

Read full articleafter Ghana declined from the 78th position in 2016 to 82nd position in 2021 on the Global Food Security Index published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Charles Nyaaba reacting to the development said the country food security situation could spike in the coming months due to an array of factors.

“We are saying that we are likely to record a worsened food security situation in the coming months because food prices at the farm-gate have been increasing significantly since we started harvesting. At the beginning of the harvest season, (that is in October), a 100 kg of maize was going for less than GH¢200,” Nyaaba explained in an interview with Citi Business News.

“…Last week, that had increased to GHGH¢240, yesterday it was GH¢260, today it is GH¢270 even before you bring it to the nearest market. Now, apart from the price increase on a daily basis, there is even a shortage,” he added.

He continued, “So, we tried to draw the attention of the Ministry to find solutions to the problem, only for the Minister to come out and try to discredit all of the work in the sector. Our message is that the Ministry needs to open up and work more with farmers to ensure we all arrive at effective solutions that improve the fortunes of the sector.”

Meanwhile, Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has given the assurance that the sector is thriving despite persistent issues raised by farmers groups across the country.

Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the minister stated that the economy was still in good standing with the implementation of policies such as the Planting for Food and Jobs.

But recent data released by the Ghana Statistical Service showed that food inflation in the country reached an all-time high of 17.40 percent for February 2022.