President John Dramani Mahama announced a GHS 200 million disbursement to Bufferstock to tackle the grain glut going on across the country.

Speaking at the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Poultry Initiative in Kumasi, President Mahama said the government had already released GH₵100 million to address the situation, but the funds were not enough to clear the surplus.

Reacting to the disbursement order, in the morning of Thursday, November 13, the National Food Buffer Stock Company, during a press conference, revealed that they requested at least GH¢770 million to effectively address the issue of the food glut.

Chief Executive Officer, George Abradu-Otoo, noted that the GHC 200 million was “a drop in the ocean.”

According to him, the current food glut Ghana is facing is evidence of the long-term funding gaps his outfit has faced over the years, noting that the Buffer Stock Company has never received dedicated funds to mop up excess produce from farmers.

While he described the money as a drop in the ocean, he commended the government for the move, saying, “Initially, we were given GHȼ100 [million]. The minister wrote to me recently that they have added another GHȼ100 [million]. I hear in the next budget that will be read on Thursday, there’s some GH¢200 [million] that will come. It’s like a drop in the ocean, but I am happy because this is the first time this is happening.

He continued that, even though they requested about GHC 770 million, the fund earmarked for his outfit is a step in the right direction; an expression of hope and comfort that more funds will be released for their work, stating that, “For so many years, nobody ever gave Buffer Stock money, or no government gave Buffer Stock money to go out to the field and mop up the excess [produce]. This is the beginning. The amount of money I requested is far higher than what they have given us now, but I am steadfast in the comfort that it is a modest beginning.

He added, however, that the Buffer Stock Company is currently deploying its contracted agents to farm gates to purchase excess produce for storage in its warehouses.

“We are in the field now, and very soon the noise will go down. Initially, we requested GH¢770 million minimally, but so far they have given us GHȼ100 million,” George Abradu-Otoo said.

There have been reports of gluts in key food crops, with farmers struggling to find ready markets for their produce.

Farmers have protested, and others have described this year as their worst year in decades, following a massive maize and rice glut plaguing the country. During a peaceful protest held by some farmers in Tamale, they held placards with inscriptions which read “Eat Ghana Rice” and “Boycott Farmers’ Day Until Farmers Are Heard”, accusing the government of failing to honour its pledge to buy local grains through the Buffer Stock Company.

Another remark President Mahama made was an expression of his concerns about the worries of farmers.

“Our farmers are worried. There’s a glut on the market, so I asked the Finance Minister to provide GH₵100 to the National Buffer Stock Company to buy up the surplus maize so that when there’s a shortage later in the year, it can be released. They have finished purchasing with the first GH₵100 million, but there’s still a lot of maize on the market and prices remain low.”

He explained that with prices continuing to fall and farmers unable to make profits, the government had decided to take further action.

“I’ve directed the Finance Minister to release an additional GH₵200 million to buy the remaining glut and store it for future use. President Mahama added that the same approach would be applied to other crops, including rice. It is the same situation with rice. I’ve instructed the Buffer Stock Company to purchase the excess and keep it as well,” he stated.

This move forms part of the government’s wider plan to curb food wastage, strengthen national food security, and preserve surplus produce for future use.

The President also mentioned measures to support poultry farmers. “I have also instructed Buffer Stock to purchase rice from our local farmers to prevent losses. For eggs, I have asked the managers of the school feeding programme to include eggs in student meals,” he added.

He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting farmers, stabilising agricultural markets, and protecting the nation’s food supply chain, stressing that “no Ghanaian farmer should suffer losses simply because they produced in abundance.”

What is Bufferstock?

Buffer Stock in Ghana refers to the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), a government initiative that purchases surplus food from farmers, stores it, and redistributes it to stabilise prices and prevent food waste.

The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) was established in 2010,