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Maize and cowpea yields in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region have fallen short of expectations, raising concerns over food security in the area.
The district’s Department of Food and Agriculture projected maize output to hit 1,494 metric tonnes this year, but local demand stands at 1,631 metric tonnes.
This shortfall of 137 metric tonnes, along with a 43 metric tonnes deficit in cowpea, highlights the challenges facing the region’s farmers.
Jonal Yiran, the District Director of Agriculture, linked the decline to several factors, chief among them a prolonged dry spell earlier in the year.
Speaking at this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration, Yiran noted that rising fertiliser costs and a surge in maize consumption have exacerbated the situation.
“The ideal situation is one extension agent to 500 farmers, but currently, we have a ratio of one to 2,645,” Yiran told Asaase News’ Mark Smith during the event. “This means extension agents are currently doing five times more work than they are supposed to do.”
To bridge the gap, Yiran said the district is exploring alternative methods to reach farmers.
“We are employing other agencies and opportunities to reach out to farmers,” he explained. “One of these is the group extension service, where we put farmers into groups for training and other advisory services.”
“We also sometimes use radio, depending on the type of information we need to communicate. For awareness creation, radio can be particularly effective.”
“Additionally, we use contact farmers in various communities to help relay information, which is then passed on to farmers and farmer groups.”
However, agricultural policy consultant Emmanuel Wullingdool believes the problem runs deeper than just local factors.
Speaking exclusively to Asaase News, he argued that gaps in government policy and programmes have contributed to the decline in crop yields.
Wullingdool called for urgent measures to expand maize production, emphasising its dual importance as a staple food and a vital component in poultry feed.
He also touched on the government’s current ban on grain and cereal exports, questioning its effectiveness given the porous nature of Ghana’s borders.
“It goes back to the nature of our borders,” Wullingdool noted. “We do know we have; I mean, the unapproved ones are more than the approved ones.”
“So how are we ensuring that such do not happen? You know that people will still not export or people will not take what little we have out.”
He argued that pricing remains a critical factor in keeping produce within Ghana. “It’s basic economics,” he said.
“So as a rational farmer, a rational business person who has done his or her cultivation, I’m looking at the person who is willing to offer me a better price for my product.”
Wullingdool suggested that the government could buy grains directly from farmers and resell them later on the open market when prices are more favourable.
This, he argued, would help stabilise supply and ensure that farmers are adequately compensated.
“So what I’m thinking is that government will have to quickly move in and offer a good price for farmers, so they can really take what they have produced.”
As the Bolgatanga East District grapples with a potential food crisis, the call for robust government intervention and strategic support has become more urgent than ever.
Without decisive action, the region could face even greater food security challenges in the months ahead.
Reporting by Mark Smith in the Upper East Region
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