By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called for practical, affordable and accessible agricultural innovations to address challenges facing smallholder farmers and strengthen national food security.
The Association made the call in a statement to mark World Food Day, observed this year on the theme: “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow.”
Mr Bismark Nortey, Executive Director of PFAG, said agricultural innovation must respond to challenges such as climate change, limited mechanisation, post-harvest losses and poor market access to improve productivity and livelihoods.
PFAG said farmers were innovators in their own right, drawing on generations of knowledge about land cultivation, crops, weather patterns and local food systems.
However, it noted that innovation should extend beyond advanced technology to include affordable and practical solutions that respond to farmers’ needs and build on their existing knowledge.
The Association said innovations such as improved seeds, irrigation systems, climate information services, digital extension support, soil-health practices, agroecology, storage facilities and local processing could help improve productivity and resilience.
Mr Nortey said such interventions would have limited impact unless farmers could access and utilise them affordably and link their produce to reliable markets.
PFAG noted that smallholder farmers continued to face increasing climate pressures, citing prolonged dry spells and erratic rainfall patterns in the Kassena area of the Upper East Region, which threatened crop establishment, yields and household food security.
The Association called for timely climate information, appropriate irrigation systems, drought-tolerant seed varieties and practical extension services to help farmers manage climate-related risks.
PFAG also identified limited access to affordable tractors, planters, harvesters, threshers and other post-harvest equipment as major constraints, leading to increased labour burdens, delays in farming operations and post-harvest losses.
It urged stakeholders to expand access to appropriate mechanisation services, particularly for women and young farmers, and invest in irrigation, water management and climate-resilient agricultural practices.
The Association cited market access challenges, noting that tomato farmers in parts of the Volta region and Ada had experienced gluts, where increased production did not necessarily translate into higher incomes due to inadequate storage facilities, limited processing capacity and unreliable markets.
It said rice and maize farmers faced similar challenges and called for stronger aggregation systems, expanded processing capacity, improved storage infrastructure and predictable market linkages.
PFAG also urged stakeholders to develop innovative solutions to address the destruction of rice farms by migratory birds.
The Association called on the Government, development partners, academia, financial institutions and private-sector actors to invest in agricultural infrastructure, fairer markets and improved access to land, finance, technology, training and markets, particularly for women and young farmers.
PFAG further urged policymakers and development partners to involve farmer organisations in the design and implementation of agricultural programmes to ensure that investments reflected local realities and delivered measurable outcomes.
Mr Nortey said building a food-secure Ghana required coordinated action by farmers, government, researchers, businesses, development partners and consumers.
He added that consumers could contribute to food security efforts by patronising locally produced food and reducing food waste.
PFAG reaffirmed its vision of “A life of dignity for the peasant farmer” and called for a food system that recognised farmers as producers, knowledge holders, entrepreneurs and partners in national development.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah