05/12/2025
STATEMENT BY THE FARMER ORGANIZATIONS NETWORK IN GHANA (FONG) ON THE 4IST NATIONAL FARMERS’ DAY CELEBRATION
FONG is the mouth piece of small holder farmers and fisher based organisations in Ghana that empowers its members to contribute to agriculture development, economic growth and sustainable use of natural resources.
FONG is proud to join the nation in celebrating this year’s National Farmers' Day, an occasion dedicated to honoring the hard work, dedication, and resilience of the farmers and fishers who form the backbone of our food systems in Ghana.
We are particularly excited about this year's theme, “Eat Ghana, Grow Ghana, Secure the Future,” as it urges citizens to embrace local production and consumption to strengthen self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on imports. It is our hope that government will live by this theme as it issues policy directives for the implementation of its flagship “Feed Ghana Project.”
Most of our constituents are engaged in cereal production and we are concerned about the weaknesses in the cereal value chain, particularly when it comes to pricing and marketing. The large importation of cereal especially rice and maize distorts the markets and farmers become the losers.
For instance:
Ghana's total rice consumption is estimated to be around 1.8 million metric tons for 2025. At the same period Ghana's paddy rice production is estimated to be around 1.1 million metric tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This leaves a deficit of about 700,000 metric tons. Yet Ghana’s rice imports are as high as 1 million metric tons for 2025, causing a glut in the rice market leading to poor market prices offered to farmers .
Also in 2024/2025 season, Ghana is estimated to have produced around 3.3 million metric tonnes of maize. Ghana still imported approximately 500,000 metric tonnes of maize for the same season and making the price of maize to fall so low that farmers cannot break even.
We believe the government's decision to engage in cereal imports is driven by genuine concerns about food insecurity and the need to stabilize prices, but we urge government to provide guaranteed prices to our cereal farmers and to strengthen the Ghana Buffer Stock Company with finances to mob up the excess supply of cereal in the markets and bring relieve to farmers.
FONG wishes the best for all our gallant farmers and fishers as they celebrate this years National Awards.
Chief Issahaku Jesiwuni
PRESIDENT OF FONG
