Jun 10, 2026
The United Nations Working Group on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas says Ghana risks facing a future food crisis, social unrest, and growing national insecurity if sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods are neglected.
Professor Uche Ofodile, a member of the Working Group representing Africa, said the long-term consequences of failing to invest in sustainable agriculture and protect rural livelihoods could be severe.
“If there is a problem with food availability, especially in times of crisis and international instability, and there is a lack of fertilisers and inputs, if you don’t develop methods that can do without too much external input, then there will be problems, and of course, when you have food problems, you are in unrest,” she said.
The Working Group gave the caution on Thursday at an end-of-mission press briefing in Accra, where it presented preliminary findings and recommendations following a 10-day official visit to Ghana.
Whilst in Ghana, the members engaged government institutions, farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, civil society organisations, traditional authorities, and rural communities to assess the human rights situation of peasants and rural workers.
Prof. Ofodile noted that the issue went beyond food availability to include nutritional security, national sovereignty, youth unemployment, and economic resilience.
She said overdependence on imported agricultural inputs and global supply chains left African countries vulnerable to external shocks.
Africa’s rapidly growing youth population also faced a critical challenge as many young people continued to abandon agriculture for illegal mining activities due to the lack of viable economic opportunities in farming.
Prof. Ofodile added that the crisis also affected young women in rural communities, where teenage pregnancy and economic vulnerability remained growing concerns.
The Working Group observed that while Ghana had made commendable progress through policies aimed at agricultural modernisation, climate resilience, fisheries reforms, gender equity, and social protection, many smallholder farmers, artisanal fishers, and pastoralists remained excluded from meaningful participation in decision-making.
The experts warned that Ghana’s current agricultural transformation agenda, which increasingly focused on mechanised and export-oriented agriculture, risked marginalising the smallholder farmers and rural communities who formed the backbone of the country’s food production system.
They identified climate change and illegal mining, otherwise known as “galamsey,” as twin threats confronting Ghana’s rural economy.
The group described “galamsey” as “the most acute, rapidly expanding, and politically charged environmental emergency” facing the country, citing contamination of rivers, destruction of farmland, and the spread of mercury and other toxic chemicals.
According to the experts, illegal mining should be understood both as a cause of environmental destruction and as a symptom of deeper economic failures affecting rural youth.
The Working Group also raised concerns over land insecurity, particularly for women, youth, pastoralists, and smallholder farmers.
It noted that women remained largely excluded from land ownership and decision-making despite playing major roles in agricultural and fisheries value chains.
The experts further expressed concern over the vulnerability of older women farmers to witchcraft accusations, which they said often resulted in displacement and loss of livelihoods.
The delegation commended Ghana for its constitutional human rights framework and recent laws, including the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2025, the Social Protection Act 2025, and the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act 2024.
It also praised initiatives such as the Community Resource Management Area model and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme as examples of inclusive and participatory governance.
However, the working group stressed that meaningful progress would require stronger political will, deeper community participation, and long-term investment in sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Prof. Ofodile urged the media to give voice to peasant farmers by amplifying their concerns and drawing attention to the challenges affecting their livelihoods.
She also extended an invitation to the media and other stakeholders to partner with the Working Group in supporting its mandate to promote and protect the rights of peasants and rural communities.
The United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas monitors the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP), aimed at protecting small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, and pastoralists from inequality, exclusion, and land-related rights violations.
Established in 2024, it conducted its first official country visit to Ghana from May 5 to 14, at the invitation of the Government of Ghana.
The five-member independent expert group represents Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Americas, and Africa, with two members participating in the Ghana mission, supported by the UN Secretariat.
A comprehensive report on the findings and recommendations would be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2026.
Source: GNA
Jun 10, 2026
Agritech innovator Evans Kyere-Mensah has urged young Ghanaians to rethink their perception of agriculture, describing the sector as a pathway to innovation, enterprise development and wealth creation rather than a last resort.
Speaking at the Ghana Youth Agriculture Summit 2026 on Friday, May 22, Mr Kyere-Mensah said the gathering was more than a conference, but a critical conversation about Ghana’s future and the role of young people in shaping it.
“Today is not just another conference. Today is a conversation about the future of Ghana, and that future is sitting right here in this hall,” he told participants.
He noted that many young people have grown up believing success lies only in corporate offices, urban centres such as Accra, or opportunities abroad, while agriculture is often seen as a fallback option.
“For too long, many young people have been made to believe that success only exists in offices, in suits, in Accra, or somewhere abroad. Many have been taught to see agriculture as a last option instead of one of the greatest opportunities of our generation,” he said.
Mr Kyere-Mensah, however, rejected that perception, insisting that agriculture is a major economic sector with vast opportunities.
“But let me say this clearly today: agriculture is not poverty. Agriculture is not punishment. Agriculture is a business. Agriculture is an industry. Agriculture is technology. And agriculture is wealth creation,” he stated.
He noted that food production and agricultural commodities form the backbone of major value chains, stressing that everyday consumption represents significant business opportunities.
“The food we eat every day is somebody’s business. The cocoa, cassava, maize, poultry, vegetables, fruits and livestock we consume daily are all part of billion-dollar value chains,” he said, urging young people not to remain on the sidelines.
The agritech innovator also encouraged young people to start small rather than wait for large amounts of capital, noting that successful enterprises often begin modestly.
“Many young people are waiting for big capital before they start. But history teaches us that great businesses rarely begin big. They begin with vision, consistency and courage. Start small. Start where you are. Start with what you have,” he said.
He added that small ventures can grow into large-scale enterprises over time, citing examples in poultry, cassava farming and digital agribusiness platforms.
“Do not despise small beginnings. The future millionaire in agriculture may start with one acre, one greenhouse, one poultry pen, one processing machine or one bold decision,” he said.
Mr Kyere-Mensah also highlighted opportunities available through institutions such as the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), the National Service Authority, youth entrepreneurship initiatives, skills development programmes and agribusiness incubation schemes.
He said these interventions provide training, mentorship, financing and enterprise development support, but stressed that success depends on readiness and preparation.
He further described agriculture as a broad ecosystem beyond farming, encompassing production, logistics, technology, marketing, processing, exports, mechanisation, media and innovation.
“Ghana does not lack opportunities. What we often lack is the courage to believe that we can build from where we are,” he said.
He added that the next generation of wealthy Ghanaians will emerge not only from traditional white-collar professions, but increasingly from agribusiness and agricultural innovation.
“To every young person here today: do not wait for perfect conditions. Do not underestimate your beginning. Your journey can start today,” he said.
Mr Kyere-Mensah urged participants to use the summit as a platform to reshape their ambitions and actively explore opportunities within the agricultural sector.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Jun 10, 2026
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has emphasised the transformative potential of agriculture in tackling youth unemployment across Africa, describing the sector as a critical pathway to economic growth, stability, and peace on the continent.
Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values on Thursday, June 4, Mr. Opoku highlighted the growing employment crisis facing Africa’s youth and called for strategic investments in agriculture to unlock millions of jobs.
According to the minister, between 10 and 12 million young Africans enter the labour market each year, yet only about three million formal jobs are created annually, leaving millions without meaningful employment opportunities.
“Approximately 10 to 12 million young Africans enter the labour market each year, while only about three million formal jobs are created annually,” Mr. Opoku stated.
He warned that the widening gap between job seekers and available employment opportunities continues to fuel social and economic challenges across the continent.
“The resulting unemployment and underemployment create social pressures that often contribute to migration, instability, and conflict. Indeed, poverty remains one of the greatest drivers of insecurity,” he said.
Mr. Opoku stressed that agriculture should not be viewed merely as a sector for food production but as a powerful engine for employment generation and economic transformation.
“Where livelihoods collapse, social tensions often rise. Agriculture, therefore, represents more than food production. It represents employment. It represents stability. It represents wealth creation. It represents peace,” he emphasised.
The Minister noted that significant investment in agricultural value chains could create millions of jobs while strengthening food security and boosting economic development across Africa.
Citing available evidence, Mr Opoku said a strategic investment of approximately US$50 billion in African agriculture could generate between 10 million and 20 million direct and indirect jobs.
“Available evidence suggests that strategic investment of US$50 billion in African agriculture, particularly across value chains including processing, logistics, storage, mechanisation and agribusiness development, could generate between 10 and 20 million direct and indirect jobs,” he noted.
He urged African governments, development partners, and private investors to prioritise agriculture as a key driver of employment and sustainable development, particularly for the continent’s growing youth population.
Source: JoyOnline
Jun 10, 2026
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has criticised the low investment in agriculture across Africa and called on governments to allocate at least 10 percent of their annual budgets to the sector to boost food security and economic growth.
Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty, and Values on Thursday, June 4, Mr. Opoku warned that agriculture cannot deliver its full potential in transforming African economies without sustained and adequate funding.
He stressed that while African governments made commitments under the Maputo Declaration of 2003 and reaffirmed them under the Kampala Declaration, implementation has remained weak.
“Under these frameworks, our governments pledged to allocate at least 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture and rural development as a means of unlocking the continent’s vast agricultural potential and accelerating economic transformation,” he noted.
However, he said the reality on the ground paints a different picture.
“Evidence across the continent suggests that many countries are yet to fulfill this commitment. In some countries, agriculture receives less than one percent of their national budget,” he said.
He added that some countries allocate only two to three percent, while others provide as little as 0.6 percent, describing the situation as grossly inadequate for a sector that employs the majority of Africa’s workforce.
“Such levels of investment are grossly inadequate for a sector that employs the majority of Africa’s workforce, feeds its population, and holds the key to industrialisation, poverty reduction, and economic growth,” he stated.
Mr. Opoku further called on African parliaments to play a stronger oversight role in ensuring that governments honour their commitments to the agricultural sector.
“This is where African parliaments must rise to the occasion. Parliaments have a constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight over public expenditure and government policy implementation,” he said.
He urged lawmakers to hold the executive accountable and ensure that budgetary promises translate into real development outcomes.
“They must hold the executive accountable and ensure that promises made to African citizens are translated into concrete budgetary commitments and measurable outcomes,” he said.
The minister added that parliamentarians must scrutinise national budgets and demand accountability when agricultural allocations fall below agreed continental targets.
“Parliamentarians must demand answers when agricultural allocations fall below agreed continental targets. They must scrutinise budgets, monitor implementation, and insist that agriculture receive the attention and resources necessary to drive national development,” he stated.
Source: JoyOnline
Jun 10, 2026
President John Dramani Mahama has called for deeper economic cooperation between Ghana and Belarus, urging Belarusian businesses to take advantage of investment opportunities in Ghana as the two countries seek to strengthen bilateral relations.
Speaking after a visit to the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial Complex in Belarus on Sunday, June 7, President Mahama said his trip should catalyse closer collaboration between the two nations, particularly in the areas of agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
Addressing a luncheon hosted by the Governor of Brest, Piotr Alexsandrovich, the President highlighted the city’s transformation from a symbol of wartime resilience into a centre of production, industrialisation and development.
“The heroism of the people of Brest is well-documented in history,” Mr Mahama said. “Brest has demonstrated that it is not only about history; it is about production, development, industrialisation, and culture. It is about everything that makes human life better.”
He expressed optimism that the visit would help forge stronger ties between Ghana and Belarus and create new opportunities for economic cooperation.
“I hope this visit will draw Ghana closer to Belarus, especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and manufacturing,” he stated.
President Mahama also extended an invitation to Belarusian investors to explore business opportunities in Ghana, describing the country as an attractive destination for investment and partnership.
He said Ghana remained committed to expanding cooperation with Belarus and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships that would contribute to economic growth and development in both countries.
The President further expressed hope that the friendship between Ghana and Belarus would endure and continue to flourish in the years ahead.
His remarks came after a tour of the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial Complex, one of Belarus’ most important Second World War memorial sites, where he paid tribute to soldiers and civilians who resisted the Nazi invasion in 1941.
President Mahama’s visit forms part of efforts to deepen diplomatic and economic relations between Ghana and Belarus and to explore new avenues for trade, investment and industrial cooperation, the presidency posted on Facebook.
Source: JoyOnline
