The Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association, Bismark Nortey, has revealed that Ghanaian farmers received no government support in 2023, despite a budget allocation of over GH₵ 2 billion for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Speaking on JoyNews' The Probe on November 10, Nortey explained that the initial Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program ended in 2022 when the previous sector minister left office.

The newly appointed minister introduced PFJ 2.0, but its rollout took an entire year to organize, leaving farmers without access to vital subsidies or input supplies throughout 2023.

"What that meant is that in 2023 farmers across the country did not receive any form of support from government. Be it subsidy or supply of any input. However, that same year, the government, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, had an allocation of more than 2 billion Ghana cedis," he said.

Mr Nortey further questioned how the allocated funds were utilized, given that farmers received no direct assistance.

He also highlighted various challenges farmers faced, including the effects of climate change, threats from illegal mining on arable land, difficulties accessing farm inputs, and slow progress in mechanization.

He noted that ineffective government policies only added to the struggle, stressing the urgent need for the government to provide meaningful support to sustain and grow Ghana’s agricultural sector.

“If such a significant budget was allocated to the Ministry, yet farmers received no direct benefit, one must question how those funds were utilized,” he remarked.