The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and with support from the Star Ghana Foundation, organized a one-day zonal sensitization workshop on the Feed Ghana Programme (FGP) for farmer leaders and stakeholders from the Northern, North East, Savanah, Upper East, and Upper West regions.
The workshop provided insights into the objectives and modalities of the FGP, encouraged farmer leaders to facilitate the registration of their members at the district level, and created a platform to validate the monitoring tools for tracking the implementation of the program.
The meeting brought together participants from several districts including Bawku West, Bawku Municipal, Bolgatanga Municipal, Bongo, Builsa North, Garu, Pusiga, Kassena Nankana West, Kassena Nankana, Tempane, Telensi and Binduri in the Upper East region; Chereponi, East Mamprusi, West Mamprusi, Mamprugu Magduri, Yunyoo-Nasuan districts in the North East region; Central Gonja and North East Gonja in the Savanna Region, Sanarigu municipal, Saboba municipal, Nanumba North, Tolon, Kumbungu, Yendi, Zabzugu, Mion, Tatale Sanguli and Gushegu in the Northern region and Wa East, Sissala West, Sissala East, Jirapa, Wa West, Lambussie Karni and Daffiama Bussie Issa districts in Upper West region.
Mr. Bismark Owusu Nortey, Acting Director of PFAG, in his welcome address, reminded participants that the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, officially launched the Feed Ghana Programme in April 2025, which is expected to be implemented within a period of four years. He stressed that it was the responsibility of all farmer leaders present to convey and explain the FGP modalities to their members to ensure they benefit fully, and the program has the desired impact. Mr. Nortey addressed concerns about pricing challenges faced by grain farmers, noting that having raised the issue with the sector minister, a producer pricing committee had been set up by the National Buffer Stock Company (NABCO), which had agreed on a standard minimum price for maize, rice, and gari. He added that even though the price was not desirable, it was better than some of the current prices farmers have been compelled to sell their produce. He encouraged farmers who were not getting competitive prices to sell to the assigned NABCO buying agents at the minimum agreed prices.
Mr. Isaac Pabia, PFAG Upper East focal person and board secretary, highlighted the association’s 20-year commitment of being the voice of farmers nationwide. He reiterated PFAG’s vision of giving farmers a dignified life through continuous advocacy for pro-poor policies that support their economic activities. He stressed the importance of the Feed Ghana Programme as a collaborative effort with the government to deliver maximum benefits to farmers. He lamented about the high cost of production and declining market prices for rice and maize, coupled with the influx of cheaper foreign rice, which placed unbearable financial pressure on farmers. Though he also welcomed the government’s move to resource the National Buffer Stock Company to purchase grains from farmers, he rejected the minimum proposed price and urged for competitive prices that would allow farmers to at least break even.
Mr. Alhassan Fatawu, Management Information System (MIS) officer from the Northern regional department of agriculture, representing the Northern regional director for agriculturecommended PFAG’s leadership for being the voice for farmers in Ghana and articulating farmers’ issues for the attention of duty bearers. He described the Feed Ghana Programme as the backbone of all agricultural activities in the country and called on farmers to take the program seriously at the district level.
Mr. Ibrahim Alhassan, Regional Officer in Charge of Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) at the Department of Agriculture, North East Region, urged farmers to ensure the registration of their Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) in order to fully benefit from the FGP.
Delivering a technical presentation, Mr. Felix Oteng Dwaah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (M&E), Department of Food and Agriculture, Northern Region, described the Feed Ghana Programme as the principal framework for agricultural transformation, aligning with Ghana’s national development agenda. He explained that the program seeks to transform the agricultural sector, ensure food security, create sustainable jobs, reduce import dependence, and boost domestic production and exports. He emphasized that agriculture must serve as the lever for transforming Ghana’s economy, in line with the president’s vision and campaign promises.
The participants were also taken through the monitoring tools, of which input and suggestions were taken on board for consideration.
In closing remarks, Mr. Isaac Pabia once again urged all farmer groups to register their organizations promptly in order to access the benefits of the FGP. He expressed gratitude to PFAG Secretariat staff, the Star Ghana Foundation, and all participants for contributing to the success of the workshop.