President John Dramani Mahama, speaking at the 41st Farmers' Day celebration, praised Ghana’s farmers and fishers as the backbone of national food security and economic stability.
He underscored the urgent need to reduce Ghana’s $3 billion annual food import bill by strengthening local production through a robust and well-sequenced agricultural transformation agenda.
Highlighting progress under the Feed Ghana programme, Mahama noted major improvements in irrigation expansion, mechanization, storage capacity, credit access, and value-chain development.
He reported a significant drop in food inflation—from 28.3 per cent in January 2025 to 9.5 per cent in October 2025—attributing it to targeted interventions such as fertilizer and seed distribution and expanded irrigation infrastructure.
"Food quality, accessible and affordable food is fundamental to national survival and development. A nourished child learns better and grows healthier. A nourished workforce is more productive. And a nourished nation is a stronger nation."
"Although investments have been made over the years, Ghana still spends close to $3 billion annually to import basic food commodities such as rice, poultry, vegetable oils, sugar and other processed foods. This situation is neither sustainable nor acceptable. It signals the urgency of building a bold and resilient agriculture framework, an agenda that my government is determined to vigorously pursue.
"The sustained transformation of the agriculture sector requires well-designed, comprehensive and sequenced interventions implemented with discipline and commitment," he said.
The president outlined ongoing initiatives including vegetable development projects, solar-powered boreholes, farmer service centres, mechanization support, and strengthened buffer stock systems to prevent post-harvest losses.
He insisted that government assistance will be directed through farmer cooperatives, urging farmers to organize themselves to benefit fully from national programmes.
President Mahama emphasized the need for Ghanaians to “Eat Ghana,” promoting local rice, poultry, vegetables, oils, and staples to achieve food sovereignty. He also highlighted renewed efforts to revive the poultry industry, establishment of modern processing plants, and expanded partnerships with private processors.
"We are expanding irrigation infrastructure, establishing farmers' service centers, increasing storage capacity, improving access to credits and insurance, and strengthening linkages in agro-processing. We're also establishing economic enclaves, using public-private partnerships to facilitate large-scale agribusiness investments, while incorporating smallholder farmers into inclusive value chains," he said.
"When my government assumed office in January 2025, food inflation stood at 28.3 per cent. Through targeted interventions and careful management of food systems, I'm pleased to report that food inflation has decreased significantly to 9.5 per cent by October 2025," he stressed.
He called for climate-smart agriculture, stronger research collaboration, and deeper engagement with development partners such as IFAD, AGRA, GIZ, JICA, FAO, AFDB and others.
Overall, the president reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building a resilient, competitive agricultural sector capable of feeding the nation, creating jobs, and securing Ghana’s future.
"To feed Ghana, we must also eat Ghana. We cannot import what we can grow, and therefore we are promoting a strong natural culture of supporting Ghanaian rice, Ghanaian poultry, Ghanaian yams, fruits and vegetables, cooking oil, and cassava products."
"This is essential if we are to achieve food sovereignty and agricultural profitability. Building a resilient agricultural sector requires climate-smart approaches, strong risk management systems, and investment in research, innovation, and agro-ecological practices. The government is therefore strengthening collaboration with our development partners, financial institutions, and the private sector to make agriculture a viable and attractive livelihood for future generations," he added.
