General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) has attributed the alarming shortage of vegetables and subsequent price hikes in Ghana to illegal mining activities.
Mr. Edward Kareweh, GAWU’s General Secretary, pointed out that the very areas crucial for vegetable cultivation are often hotspots for illegal mining, making it exceedingly challenging for farmers to grow crops.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kareweh emphasized that while natural factors like seasonal changes play a role, certain policies within the agricultural sector exacerbate the problem, impeding food production.
He highlighted the adverse effects of illegal mining, including soil erosion, water contamination, land degradation, heavy metal pollution, and soil infertility. Kareweh cautioned that without proper intervention, the situation would deteriorate further.
Furthermore, Kareweh stressed that the impacts of illegal mining extend beyond environmental concerns, affecting communities and the country’s economy.
He urged policymakers to prioritize sustainable mining practices to mitigate food insecurity and safeguard the environment.
“Vegetables are delicate crops; you need clean water to grow vegetables, but you don’t necessarily need clean water to grow cocoa or oil palm because the water that runs under it must not necessarily be the one that we can drink,” he said.
He said the water needed for vegetable production should almost be equivalent to drinking water; however, the activities of people engaged in galamsey had destroyed most of the farms, and those surviving fell into danger during the rainy season when floods flowed into the vegetable farms.
Mr Kareweh said in addition to galamsey, there were also some policies that worsened the situation instead of addressing the gaps that had been created by nature.
“Tomatoes generally should not be in abundance like they were in January and February, but you have to look at the marginal increase. That is why, at this time, as opposed to previously, every market day the price goes up and becomes far more costly than before, and that is what we need to investigate,” Mr Kareweh said.
He lamented the high cost of products, land preparation, and pesticides, among others, which are critical to vegetable production and negatively affect development in the agricultural sector of the country.