The third plenary session at the 12th Ghana Economic Forum was held under the theme ‘Build
Back Better, IMF Support, Strategies to Build a Sustainable Economy and Dynamic a Business Environment’ and delved deeply into the crucial topic of ‘Ensuring Food Sustainability and Security: A Call for New Perspectives on Agricultural Value Chain Systems’. During this discussion, a panel of distinguished experts shared insights and recommendations on the pressing issue of food security in Ghana, offering valuable perspectives and vital suggestions.
These experts underscored the need to revamp the nation’s approach to food security, emphasising the pivotal role of farmers in this endeavour. They emphasised that any policy aimed at bolstering food production and security must be intrinsically aligned with the specific needs and concerns of farmers. This stance calls for a fundamental shift away from the traditional top-down policy approach toward a more inclusive, grassroots and bottom-up framework.
Through their deliberations, the experts agreed on the present situation’s unsustainable nature, characterised by a noticeable disconnect between policy intent and tangible outcomes. They attributed the shortcomings of many past governmental interventions in agriculture to failure in adequately addressing the concerns of all stakeholders.
One of the key observations made by the panel is the significant mismatch between what
farmers genuinely need, the timing and quality of input supply and an undue emphasis on inputs – often to the detriment of critical infrastructure such as storage and processing facilities. A farmer underlined the urgency of a substantial shift in agriculture policy development, advocating for a bottom-up approach. He highlighted the difficulties faced by local farmers in acquiring necessary
agricultural machinery for mechanised farming, citing the limited number of functional
irrigation facilities and poor transportation infrastructure as major obstacles to year-round food cultivation.
A panellist also emphasised an imperative need to diversify the agricultural economy, steering away from an overreliance on cash crops – particularly cocoa. She pointed out the risks associated with excessive reliance on cocoa, especially with China’s emergence as a cocoa producer and the potential implications of European Union policies that could restrict cocoa exports. Her recommendation stressed the need to focus on other food crops, like plantain and banana, which hold substantial potential and offer high value by-products.
A speaker outlined four pivotal priorities essential for rejuvenating the agricultural value chain: ensuring the consistent availability of farm produce; facilitating farmer access to adequate funding; creating opportunities for diverse market access and ensuring food affordability; and enhancing overall infrastructure.
However, she expressed disappointment that these priorities remain largely unmet – given the current level of investment and policy implementation in the sector. She underscored the impact of post-harvest losses on food prices, stressing the significance of addressing losses and inefficiencies throughout the agricultural value chain to prevent inflated prices and the subsequent reduction in consumer purchasing power.
In terms of recommendations, the panel strongly advocated for policymakers to engage in a sincere and meaningful dialogue with farmers; thus gaining a comprehensive understanding of their needs and expectations. They called for crafting policies which transcend partisan politics and stressed the vital importance of educating farmers on the correct and efficient utilisation of inputs, particularly fertiliser. Additionally, they emphasised the pressing issue of access to affordable funding for farmers; emphasising the need for government to engage with lenders so as to ensure financial support at lower rates.
In summary, the plenary session at the 12th Ghana Economic Forum highlighted the critical need for a more inclusive and farmer-centric approach to ensure food sustainability and security. The discussions brought to light shortcomings of past policies, challenges faced by farmers and the importance of addressing post-harvest losses.
The panel’s recommendations underlined the necessity of a comprehensive policy framework, education for farmers and better access to affordable funding as vital steps toward a more secure food supply and stronger agricultural sector in Ghana. To enhance this discussion, it’s important to consider further investment in agricultural research, the role of technology in agriculture and sustainable practices to protect the environment and soil quality. Adressing these issues can contribute significantly to long-term food security and agricultural sustainability.
Options for Policy Consideration
- Adopt Bottom-Up Approach: Shift from the traditional top-down approach to a bottom-up regime in agricultural policy development. This approach would ensure that policies align more closely with the needs and concerns of farmers.
- Address Stakeholder Concerns: Governments and policymakers should actively address the concerns of all stakeholders involved in the agricultural value chain to improve effectiveness of interventions.
- Diversify the Agricultural Economy: Reduce overreliance on cash crops, such as cocoa, and promote diversification into other food crops with high potential such as plantain, banana and their valuable by-products.
- Support Small- and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs): Enable and support SMEs engaged in agro-processing to meet domestic demand and access foreign markets, which can enhance food security and boost economic growth.
- Improve Access to Funding: Facilitate access to funding for farmers at more affordable rates, addressing the financial challenges faced by agricultural stakeholders.
- Enhance Infrastructure: Improve infrastructure throughout the agricultural value chain, including storage and processing facilities, irrigation systems and transportation networks, to facilitate year-round food production and distribution.
- Minimise Post-Harvest Losses: Implement measures to reduce post-harvest losses, which can contribute to higher food prices and lower the purchasing power of consumers.
- Holistic Policy Framework: Craft comprehensive policies that consider the entire agricultural value chain, encompassing research, technology adoption and sustainable practices to promote long-term food security and environmental sustainability.
- Invest in Agricultural Research and Innovation: Allocate resources to agricultural research and development to enhance crop yields, develop resilient varieties and introduce innovative farming practices.
- Promote Sustainable Farming Practices: Encourage the adoption of sustainable farming methods including organic farming, reduced chemical pesticide usage and efficient water management.
- Support Farmer Cooperatives: Facilitate the formation and strengthening of farmer cooperatives to empower small-scale farmers, improve market access and enhance collective bargaining power.
- Government-backed Crop Insurance: Implement government-supported crop insurance programmes to protect farmers from financial losses due to adverse weather conditions, pests and/or diseases.
- Land Reform and Access: Address land tenure issues to ensure that farmers have secure access to land.
- Encourage Agroforestry: Promote agroforestry practices, which involve integrating trees and shrubs into farming systems, enhancing soil fertility and providing additional income through timber and non-timber forest products.
- Promote Farm-to-Table Initiatives: Develop programmes which encourage direct sales from farmers to consumers, reducing the number of intermediaries and ensuring that farmers receive a fair share of the profit.
- Invest in Rural Infrastructure: Improve rural infrastructure, including roads, electricity and communication networks, to facilitate the transportation of goods, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance access to markets.
- Education and Training: lnvest in agricultural education and training programmes for farmers to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to adopt modern and sustainable farming practices.
- Access to Credit: Increase access to credit for agriculture by strengthening the warehouse receipt system, including deployment of an electronic platform and building awareness of the commodity exchange.
By considering this comprehensive set of recommendations, governments and stakeholders can work together to build a more resilient and food-secure agricultural sector that benefits both farmers and consumers.
Conclusion
The GEF 2023 ended with a closing statement by Dr. Daniel Anim-Prempeh. He was confident that the strategic propositions/recommendations would feed into the policy direction of government. He applauded the organisers, speakers and sponsors for making the forum successful.
