By Wisdom JONNY-NUEKPE
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has made claims that implementing government’s Planting for Food and Job’s (PFJ) policy’s second phase is skewed with several inconsistencies that do not favour farmers.
These discrepancies, according to the association, are creating several inconveniences that currently curtail agriculture production.
Former Executive Director-PFAG, Dr. Charles Nyaaba, speaking to B&FT explained how it is important that government allows the private sector to lead in the programme’s inputs distribution and implementation.
“The master-aggregator being MoFA is not ideal for implementation. This is because, once the ministry is distributing inputs, farmers will not pay,” Dr. Nyaaba said.
The association argued that the only way to ensure PFJ 2.0’s sustainability is for politicians to take their hands off the programme and allow technical directors in the ministry to lead with the project’s implementation.
Also, the process of giving inputs to selected farmers, according to PFAG, is disappointing and should be encouraged by government.
“As it stands, farmers are not aware of the criteria for selecting beneficiaries to be given inputs. PFAG wants to know what criteria and procedures are being used for the selection. This situation breeds hoarding and politicisation of the programme,” Dr. Nyaaba iterated.
The association however recommended that MoFA use the free money meant for inputs to strengthen the National Food Buffer Company, Ghana Commodity Exchange and other stakeholders to deepen food security.
MoFA, the PFAG explained, must focus on marketing and supporting farmers with guaranteed markets for their produce.
“When such is done, these stakeholders can offer guaranteed prices and put the produce in government warehouses to tackle food insecurity. This will prevent food price hikes in lean seasons.
Current challenges with the PFJ 2.0
Indeed, PFAG has revealed that about 80 percent of farmers have not been registered on the programme as of June 2024.
This, according to the farmers, is worrying and creating uncertainties since planting season is very close and farmers do not have any idea where and when to receive farm inputs such as fertiliser and seeds.
National President of the Association Wepia Awal Addo said there appears to be a lack of interest in farmers’ welfare, particularly as farmers are not provided with any information to aid in planning.
Describing PFJ phase II as uninspiring, he stated that the agriculture sector has been neglected with no direct investment to farmers. These various challenges have led to neglecting plans to expand irrigation projects and improve road networks.
