A recent JoyNews documentary has exposed a disturbing reality, Ghanaian farmers in Ejura, particularly maize growers, are struggling to sell their produce. Traders who usually buy during the lean season to resell later, are now refusing to patronise their goods, citing “bad market.”
The result is heartbreaking. Farmers who once found pride in feeding the nation are now discouraged, some openly admitting they may not plant in the coming season. This is not only a personal tragedy for them, it is a looming national crisis.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture and its leadership cannot ignore this. At the heart of the problem is the absence of a structured system that guarantees farmers a market for their produce. Farmers are left at the mercy of traders and middlemen who exploit them by offering paltry prices. Worse still the ordinary Ghanaian consumer who should support local farmers often turns to imported goods, leaving our own produce to rot in silos or by the roadside.
It is time for the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Eric Opoku, to step in and help these farmers. We demand bold, practical intervention just as has been done with cocoa. Cocoa farmers have a reliable system where the government, through COCOBOD, purchase their crops and connect them to international markets. This guarantees income, encourages production and secures Ghana’s place as a global cocoa giant. Why can’t the same model or at least a modified version be applied to maize farmers?
Maize is not a marginal crop. It is the lifeblood of households, the foundation of poultry and livestock feed, a staple for breweries and the raw material for many industries. If maize farmers collapse under the weight of poor sales, the ripple effects will be catastrophic shortages, soaring prices, food insecurity and the collapse of value chains that depend on it.
This is why the Minister himself must step forward. Not with excuses, not with promises of “future plans” but with urgent policy and direct intervention. The Ministry should establish a mechanism where government agencies, food reserve institutions and agro-industries are compelled or incentivised to purchase maize directly from farmers at fair prices.
Additionally, a deliberate strategy to link farmers to foreign buyers, just as we do for cocoa, must be rolled out immediately. This is how to prevent the current crisis from deepening.
At stake is more than the livelihood of farmers. A strong maize sector, properly harnessed, can earn the country much-needed foreign exchange. At a time when Ghana is desperately searching for avenues to strengthen its currency and revive its economy, ignoring maize farmers is both short-sighted and reckless. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has no excuse for inaction.
But this is not the government’s burden alone. As citizens, we must learn to value our own. Patronizing Ghanaian maize and other local produce is an act of patriotism and self-preservation. Choosing imported alternatives while our farmers suffer only fuels dependency and weakens the national economy.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Minister must rise to the challenge, just as was done with cocoa. Ghana cannot afford to let its maize farmers wither in despair. Their survival is our survival. Their prosperity is our collective prosperity.
