Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has given a resolute assurance to farmers nationwide regarding his commitment to collaborate closely with them. The aim is to enhance yields and productivity, simultaneously curtailing the reliance on food crop imports into the country.

He conveyed that the Ministry has initiated strategic measures to ensure that farmers across the nation gain access to essential inputs and other production costs, thereby alleviating their burdens and augmenting their earnings.

The Minister provided this reassurance during a meeting with farmers, traders, and aggregators from the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) at his office in Accra. The discussions encompassed crucial topics influencing the sector's growth.

Subjects ranged from the ongoing onion crisis leading to the impoundment of over 60 truckloads of imported onions at the borders of Benin and Burkina Faso, the forthcoming implementation of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) 2.0, to the implications of the newly enacted Tax Exemptions Act on the prices of agricultural inputs.

Addressing the onion crisis, Mr. Acheampong stated that the government's primary objective is to boost domestic onion production, ultimately reducing and eventually ceasing imports. He stressed that while diplomatic efforts are underway to address the locked-up goods, the Ministry's immediate focus is to unite onion producers and devise a strategy to surmount the present challenges hampering sufficient local production.

Regarding PFJ 2.0, the Minister highlighted the modalities formulated to address key farmer concerns. With the aggregator system integrated into PFJ 2.0, farmers will access seeds, fertilizers, extension services, mechanization, and post-harvest services, only reimbursing the expenses after the harvest.

Regarding the selection criteria for aggregators, the Minister assured that existing ones would not be marginalized by the program. The Ministry remains dedicated to ensuring that the right aggregators working closely with farmers are chosen.

The Minister underlined that the program embraces inclusivity, encompassing all farmers, including youth, female farmers, and aggregators.

Regarding the Tax Exemptions Act's impact on agricultural prices, the Minister acknowledged the issue and disclosed that cabinet is considering the inclusion of agricultural inputs for exemptions.

“However, despite the ongoing process, the Ministry continues to approve requests for exemptions for agricultural inputs by importers,” he added.

He bemoaned the fact that these importers had not adjusted their rates to reflect these exemptions and pleaded with them to do so.

He said, “Even though the proposal has been sent for cabinet’s approval, as of August alone, we have approved over 60 exemption requests from importers. The problem is when prices go up, no matter what we do, our business is unwilling to bring prices down and that is the problem. Irrespective, I will do all I can to ensure your request is granted.”

Dr. Charles Nyaaba, the Executive Director of PFAG, expressed admiration for the Minister's steadfast commitment to collaborating with farmers for the betterment of the sector.

He assured the Minister of the Association's collaboration and assistance to facilitate the realization of his enduring vision to establish food self-sufficiency within the country.

He appealed to farmers, participants within the value chain, and service providers to collectively contribute towards transforming Ghana into a regional food hub. He encouraged them to also present their ideas, as the Minister is receptive to input from diverse stakeholders.