The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has announced that from next year, only locally sourced seeds will be supplied to Ghanaian farmers. This strategic move, spearheaded by Minister Eric Opoku, is part of Ghana’s broader effort to achieve seed sovereignty, which the minister emphasized as essential for national food security.
“Without seed sovereignty, there can be no food security,” Mr. Opoku stated during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency in Accra.
Addressing Delays in Imported Seeds
The shift to local seeds aims to resolve the recurring problem of delayed imported seeds, which often arrived after planting seasons. The new policy is being implemented through partnerships with international allies and domestic institutions, ensuring sustainable and timely seed availability.
Key Partnerships and Projects for Seed Independence
Several international collaborations are driving Ghana’s seed independence:
-
Korea Plant Industries Association (KOPIA): Provides intensive training for Ghanaian farmers in seed production.
-
Korea Rural Cooperation: Developing irrigation infrastructure across 100 hectares for rice seed production.
-
Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT): Commissioned a 1MW solar farm to power irrigation, aiming to produce 10,000 tonnes of high-quality rice seed by 2027.
-
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Training rice seed producers in Wheta, Bolgatanga, and Tono.
-
Government of The Netherlands: Supporting vegetable seed production through technical and financial capacity building.
Additionally, KOPIA donated 300 tonnes of Agyapa Rice Seed, developed by CSIR, to support local rice farmers free of charge.
Scientific and Climate Resilience Initiatives
MoFA is collaborating with the FAO and Soil Research Institute of CSIR to strengthen agricultural planning and soil management. To enhance climate resilience, 20 automated weather stations have been installed to provide accurate, real-time weather data, enabling better farm planning and disaster preparedness.
Agricultural Transformation and Private Sector Investment
The seed sovereignty and climate initiatives are part of the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda, implemented via the Feed Ghana Programme. Key highlights include:
-
Institutional farming involving Ghana Armed Forces, National Service Authority, and 413 schools.
-
Expansion of irrigation infrastructure for year-round cultivation.
-
€154 million investment from the Government of Italy and BF International to develop a 10,000-hectare model farm producing rice, maize, soya, and tomato.
Revitalization of Ghana’s Poultry Sector
To reduce dependence on imported poultry, the government is executing the Poultry Industry Revitalisation Programme:
-
Poultry Farm to Table Project: Targets production of 4 million birds via 50 anchor farmers.
-
Poultry Intensification Programme: Supports 500 small-to-medium farmers to produce 3 million birds.
-
‘Nkoko Nketenkete’ Initiative: Aims to produce 3 million birds through backyard poultry farming for women and youth, with 720,000 birds already distributed as a pilot.
A poultry processing factory will be established in Bechem to handle increased local production. President John Dramani Mahama will cut the sod for the facility, marking a major milestone in Ghana’s poultry self-sufficiency drive.
Quotes from Minister Eric Opoku
-
“These coordinated interventions are designed to substantially reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported poultry, create sustainable jobs and improve access to affordable, protein-rich food for all Ghanaians.”
-
“The collective effort to transform Ghana’s agricultural sector is a generational mandate, delivered with urgency, integrity, and accountability.”
