Today, as Ghana pauses to celebrate Farmer’s Day, let us take a moment to honor the resilience, strength, and dedication of our farmers. These are the real MVPs who rise before dawn, work through scorching heat and pouring rain, and persist with tenacity—all to feed a nation.
They cultivate Ghana’s rich lands, producing everything from cassava and yam to cocoa and maize. They are the unsung heroes of our economy, sustaining food security and helping shape Ghana’s identity as a major exporter of cocoa and cashew on the international stage.
Ghana’s agricultural sector contributes about 20% to the national GDP, with approximately 54% of the country’s workforce engaged in agriculture. Food production in Ghana not only ensures local food security but also fuels international trade, as the country’s cocoa, cashew, and oil palm products reach global markets. Cocoa alone accounts for nearly 15% of Ghana’s total exports, employing hundreds of thousands and generating over $2 billion annually. Beyond these numbers, however, lies a deeper truth: without farmers, Ghana would be a vastly different place—economically, socially, and culturally.
While the country celebrates today, many hardworking farmers live a different reality. Despite eight years of promises from the NPP government, they remain largely forgotten, neglected, and overlooked. The administration that promised to empower farmers has instead left many in a worse position. Across the nation, farmers have faced rising input costs, inadequate supplies, and a lack of agro-technical support. For these forgotten farmers, this Farmer’s Day feels bittersweet and perhaps a little hollow.
Ironically, the 40th Farmers’ Day anniversary will not receive its usual fanfare. District and regional celebrations have been suspended, and instead, a small gathering of government officials and potential awardees will meet at Accra’s Alisa Hotel, symbolizing a subdued recognition. How Farmers’ Day ended up in a hotel remains a mystery to many.
In the run-up to the 2016 elections, the NPP made bold pledges to revitalize agriculture, promising everything from financial assistance and subsidized inputs to mechanization and enhanced infrastructure. Programs like the “Planting for Food and Jobs” (PFJ) initiative promised to transform agriculture, create jobs, and reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported food. Yet what was pitched as a comprehensive solution turned out, in many ways, to be a half-hearted effort. The program suffered from poor planning, limited reach, and widespread corruption.
Similarly, the “One Village, One Dam” policy, intended to provide reliable water for year-round farming in Northern Ghana, has been disappointing. As frustrated farmers can attest, these “dams” were often shallow pits that dried up by mid-dry season, offering little relief for communities desperate for irrigation. In some places, they’ve become soccer fields for local youth. In a region prone to drought, these failed dams represent not only a flawed policy but also a betrayal of communities in need.
Worse still is the impact on rural farmers who lack access to even basic infrastructure. Roads to markets remain unpaved and impassable during the rainy season, leading to massive post-harvest losses. Extension services—vital for training farmers in best practices and new technology—are severely underfunded, leaving many farmers without the support needed for sustainable yield improvements.
Yet, despite these failures, farmers continue to persevere. In the face of rising costs of seeds, agro-chemicals, fertilizers, limited access to agro-credits, and inadequate storage facilities, Ghanaian farmers remain resilient, unrelenting, and resourceful. They continue to grow food even when it seems the world has forgotten them. Their resilience reflects the Ghanaian spirit and a culture that honors the land and its bounty—a spirit not mirrored by the Bawumia/Akufo-Addo government, which has allowed the degradation of agricultural lands through illegal mining.
But resilience alone is not enough. Ghana’s farmers need action—real, tangible support that goes beyond empty political promises. They need effective policies, leaders who listen, and accountability at all levels. If Ghana is to fulfill its agricultural potential and economic transformation goals, we must recognize the hardships farmers face and enact reforms that empower them.
To make meaningful progress, we must begin by reforming failed programs. Any new agricultural policy must prioritize transparency and accountability to ensure funds and subsidies reach their intended beneficiaries. An independent oversight body, like the Governance Advisory Council proposed by President John Dramani Mahama, could monitor agricultural program funds and ensure accountability.
Investment in genuine irrigation infrastructure—not shallow dams—is critical to ensuring farmers can cultivate year-round. Enhanced extension services are also essential, providing farmers with access to training, best practices, and sustainable techniques that increase yields without degrading the land.
Additionally, access to financing must improve, especially for young farmers and women. Micro-credits, low-interest credit facilities, and cooperative banking models could provide smallholder farmers with much-needed capital. Finally, building and maintaining rural roads should be a national priority to facilitate market access, lower food transport costs, and reduce post-harvest losses.
Today, let us celebrate our farmers with reverence and gratitude. May this Farmer’s Day be more than just a date on the calendar; may it remind us that our farmers are the backbone of this nation. Here’s to the tillers of the land, the planters of seeds, and the keepers of Ghana’s future. May their fields be green, their harvests plentiful, and their burdens lightened.
As we honor our farmers, let us also acknowledge the failures that burden them, particularly under the outgoing NPP Bawumia/Akufo-Addo administration. As Ghana approaches a new election, it is time for the people to demand better leadership. Let this Farmer’s Day be a rallying cry for change, a call for leaders who serve the people, honor the land, and uplift the very hands that feed us. Our farmers deserve more than promises; they deserve progress, justice, and dignity.
God bless our homeland Ghana.
The author, serves as the spokesperson for the National Democratic Congress Agriculture Manifesto Committee, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor.
DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana
