SEND Ghana is calling on government to speed up the distribution of seeds, fertilisers and other farm inputs to farmers as the planting season begins, warning that delays could affect food production and threaten food security.
In a statement issued in Accra, the policy research and advocacy organisation said information gathered from farmers in the Northern, Oti, Volta and Bono East regions showed that many were yet to receive inputs under government’s flagship Feed Ghana Programme.
It said further checks with Departments of Agriculture also revealed that most Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) had not received the inputs needed for onward distribution to farmers.
According to SEND Ghana, the delay risks disrupting planting activities and could undermine government’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.
“With the onset of rains, SEND Ghana and its partners call on the government to expedite the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers under the Feed Ghana Programme,” the statement said.
The organisation warned that some farmers were already reluctant to expand cultivation this year following losses suffered during the previous farming season, when many struggled to sell their maize and rice because of glut on the market.
It said failure to supply inputs on time could worsen the situation and discourage more farmers from participating fully in this year’s farming season.
SEND Ghana also called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to prioritise young people, especially women, in the implementation of the programme to help tackle youth unemployment.
It said increasing youth participation in agriculture could support job creation while strengthening food production across the country.
The organisation further urged government to improve public access to information on the programme by providing regular updates on implementation, progress and modalities for accessing support.
According to SEND Ghana, making such information publicly available would help farmers better understand how to benefit from the initiative while also enabling civil society groups to monitor implementation and provide feedback.
“The Feed Ghana Programme has the potential to enhance food security, reduce food inflation, create employment especially for youth and women, and promote agro-industrial development and exports,” the statement noted.
However, it stressed that the success of the programme would depend heavily on strong agricultural governance at the local level and the timely delivery of interventions.
“Without these, the government risks missing set targets and wasting public resources,” it cautioned.
About SEND Ghana
SEND Ghana is a policy research and advocacy organisation focused on promoting good governance and gender equality in Ghana. The organisation has spent more than two decades working to improve agriculture, nutrition and livelihood outcomes, particularly for smallholder farmers, women and vulnerable communities, through research, advocacy and community engagement.
Source : BFTonline
