The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), together with Project Implementation Committee (PIC) in the Krachi East District and with support from STAR Ghana Foundation, has successfully organized the maiden Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) meeting in the Krachi East District of the Oti Region.
The initiative forms part of PFAG’s broader project to address barriers limiting the participation of vulnerable groups—particularly smallholder farmers, women, youth, and persons with disabilities—in local decision-making processes. It also seeks to enhance accountability mechanisms and strengthen engagement spaces to ensure that smallholder farmers benefit from inclusive governance and agricultural development.
The meeting brought together about critical and relevant participants, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities, representing nineteen stakeholder groups. These included smallholder farmers and Farmer-Based Organizations, traditional authorities, Department of Agriculture and Municipal Assembly officials, Local NGOs and CSOs, Media and oversight bodies, Legal aid and rights organizations, Buyers, processors, and agribusinesses, Financial service providers and agri-tech platforms, Women’s groups, youth organizations, and Persons with Disabilities networks and Faith-based organizations and cooperatives
Welcoming participants, Mr. Bismark Owusu Nortey, Acting Executive Director of PFAG, emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to promote inclusive participation, transparency, and accountability in the agricultural sector. He explained that the MSP is designed as a continuous system where smallholder farmers can engage agricultural authorities to address pressing issues. PFAG intends to institutionalize the MSP as a recurring forum held every two to three months, with clear structures and defined goals to ensure measurable progress.
Mr. Nortey further highlighted the need for PFAG’s recognition at the local level, similar to its national standing, and encouraged participants to actively contribute to discussions to make the engagement meaningful and productive.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Eric Bungumi Agbo, the Municipal Coordinating Director of the Krachi East Municipal Assembly, commended PFAG’s efforts and urged that such engagements be sustained beyond a one-day event to ensure continuous collaboration and progress.
Mr. Emmanuel Mena, Director of the Department of Agriculture, Krachi East Municipal Assembly, closed the meeting by stressing the importance of farmers holding duty bearers accountable to ensure resources are provided to support farming activities. He noted that issues discussed at the MSP should influence both local and national agricultural policies, enabling farmers to benefit from government interventions.
To maintain momentum, participants agreed to remain committed and punctual in future meetings, while actively sharing information through a WhatsApp platform created to sustain communication and collaboration among stakeholders.