The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has officially launched a new initiative titled “Strengthening Farmers’ Voices to Promote Accountability and Inclusive Decision-Making in Ghana, during the inception meeting held in Tamale. The project, funded by the STAR Ghana Foundation, is designed to empower smallholder farmers—particularly women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PwDs)—to actively participate in local governance and hold duty bearers accountable. The inception brought together women farmers, farmers living with disabilities, youth farmers and farmers and regional and district directors of Agriculture from the Northern, North East, Upper West, Bono East, and Oti regions. The meeting aimed to raise awareness of the project scope and objectives, solicit feedback and secure commitment from stakeholders for its successful implementation.
In his opening remarks, PFAG’s Acting Executive Director, Bismark Owusu Nortey, welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of inclusive stakeholder engagement. He noted that the initiative seeks to amplify the voices of marginalized groups—especially smallholder farmers, women, youth, and PwDs—by building their capacities to be formidable groups and ensuring their active role in local decision-making and to demand accountability from public authorities. The project also aims to strengthen accountability frameworks and enhance the implementation of agricultural policies that benefit smallholder farmers across the country.
Representing the Director of the Northern Regional Department of Agriculture, Mr. Dauda Salam, commended PFAG and its partners for the timely launch of the initiative and affirmed the Department’s support for its implementation. Mr. Ewuntomah Sumaila Abudu, Director at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, reiterated the government’s commitment to participatory governance and transparency in the agricultural sector. He emphasized that empowering farmers to engage with institutions and influence policy contributes to accountability and fosters public trust.
PFAG’s Project Officer, Ramla Keelson, delivered an overview of the project’s scope, expected outcomes, and planned activities. She also outlined the responsibilities of key stakeholders to promote a shared understanding and sustained commitment to the initiative. Key activities to be implemented within the project include transitioning of at least six (6) farmer groups into cooperatives, building the capacity of these groups in advocacy, monitoring and tracking, establishing multi-stakeholder platforms in each project district to bridge knowledge sharing gaps between farmers and local authorities, and monitoring of the current national agricultural program, Feed Ghana Program (FGP). The project will be implemented in six districts, which include Krachi East in the Oti region, Wa and Daffiema Bussie Issa districts in the Upper West region, Chereponi in the North East region, Nanumba North district in the Northern Region and Nkoranza municipality in the Bono region. The project is expected to be end in the second quarter of 2026.
The meeting concluded with participants reaffirming their dedication to the project, particularly in championing the active involvement of smallholder farmers and PwDs in local governance. Stakeholders also underscored the importance of continuous capacity building and providing essential resources to help farmers become more self-reliant and less dependent on government or external donors.