Across Ghana, food prices remain volatile, and hunger continues to cast a shadow over many households, even as the nation boasts fertile lands, abundant water bodies, and an enterprising population.
It is a paradox that raises a critical question: why is a country with such natural wealth still struggling to secure the most basic of needs—reliable food for its people? The contradiction is glaring. We have the land to feed ourselves, yet our systems continue to hold us back.
In recent years, Ghana has taken steps to address this challenge.
The past government’s flagship “Planting for Food and Jobs” initiative injected renewed energy into the agricultural sector. Farmers were encouraged to access inputs, improve yields, and embrace modern practices.
These efforts have produced visible results: higher output for maize, expanded awareness of agriculture’s importance, and increased political attention to farming. But the bigger picture is sobering.
Food insecurity persists in the Upper East, Upper West, and Northern regions, where poverty, climate shocks, and weak infrastructure combine to trap families in cycles of scarcity. According to the World Food Program, over 1 million Ghanaians were projected to be food insecure between June and August 2024.
One of the central reasons is Ghana’s overwhelming dependence on rainfall. The country possesses over four million hectares of irrigable land, yet only about three percent of it is irrigated.
This means the vast majority of farmers remain at the mercy of erratic weather patterns. A single failed rainy season can destroy livelihoods and ripple into urban markets, driving up food prices and eroding household incomes. In an era of climate change—where droughts and floods are becoming more common—such reliance is a dangerous gamble.
Another dimension of the crisis is post-harvest loss. Ghanaian farmers often work hard and produce respectable harvests, only to watch a third of it go to waste. Tomatoes rot under the sun because there are no cold storage facilities. Maize spoils in poorly ventilated warehouses.
Yams and cassava deteriorate in makeshift sheds. The financial loss to farmers is staggering, and the national economy also suffers. Food inflation is driven upward not just by shortages but by inefficiencies in getting crops from field to market. What should be nourishment for families becomes food for pests.
Market access compounds the problem. A farmer in Bolgatanga may achieve a surplus of onions, yet struggle to sell them profitably because roads are poor and market prices unpredictable. By the time the crop reaches Accra or Kumasi, the produce is both costlier and of poorer quality.
The infrastructure gap isolates farmers and ensures that value chains remain thin and fragile.
Then there is the generational challenge. Agriculture is not viewed as an attractive career for Ghana’s youth. Many young people see farming as backbreaking, outdated, and unprofitable.
They prefer the allure of urban life, even when it leaves them underemployed. The result is an aging farming population, with fewer young people stepping in to replace them. Yet this is happening in a country where over half of the population is under the age of 25. The irony is stark: the energy and innovation that could transform Ghanaian agriculture are being left untapped.
To revive food resilience in Ghana, several interventions must converge. Irrigation is an obvious starting point. Solar-powered drip systems, small dams, and affordable irrigation technologies have already proven effective in parts of Asia and East Africa.
Scaling such systems across Ghana would dramatically reduce the country’s dependence on erratic rainfall and ensure year-round farming. Equally important is investment in agro-processing.
District-level processing hubs can transform surplus produce into longer-lasting products. For example, excess tomatoes could become puree, surplus cassava could be processed into flour or starch, and mangoes could be dried and exported. Such industries not only prevent losses but also create rural jobs and stimulate local economies.
Youth engagement must be reimagined.
A refreshed Youth in Agriculture program should not simply encourage young people to farm, but rather to see agriculture as business. Digital platforms that provide weather alerts, real-time market prices, and access to mobile credit can make agriculture more attractive to young entrepreneurs. With the right training and mentorship, young Ghanaians can build profitable enterprises around both production and value addition.
Policy consistency is also vital. Ghana has suffered from frequent shifts in agricultural policy, often tied to changes in political leadership. This lack of continuity discourages investment, as both farmers and private sector players are unsure what the landscape will look like in a few years.
What is needed is a long-term agricultural transformation strategy—insulated from political cycles—that sets clear goals for irrigation, post-harvest infrastructure, farmer training, and financing.
International partners will play a role too, but the focus must shift from handouts to capacity-building. Ghana cannot rely indefinitely on imported rice, wheat, and poultry. Every shipload of rice from Asia or frozen chicken from Europe is a reminder of how much of our food sovereignty we have ceded. Building resilience means growing what we can, processing it efficiently, and feeding ourselves first.
The stakes are high. Food insecurity undermines health, productivity, and national stability. It fuels inflation, drains foreign reserves, and perpetuates poverty. But the potential gains from solving it are immense. With consistent investment, Ghana could not only feed its own people but become a breadbasket for the region. The soil is rich, the water is plentiful, and the youth are capable. What remains is the courage and vision to align policies, investments, and innovation toward one goal: a Ghana that can feed itself.
Food security is not a luxury. It is a national responsibility. The harvest must no longer rot while children go hungry. The farmer must no longer be trapped in poverty while consumers pay high prices for imported staples. And Ghana must no longer settle for being a nation of potential. It is time to be a nation of production. This article is written by Gideon Amuah. You may reach the author directly vie – gideon.amuah@gmail.com or send an emain to the Editor @ thenewrepublicgh@gmail.com or info@thenewrepublicgh.com
