Jun 26, 2026
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has assured Ghanaians that government has made adequate financial provisions to guarantee sufficient food supply for students in senior high schools across the country under the Free Senior High School programme.
According to the Minister, the government has undertaken a review of the implementation of the Free SHS policy and identified key challenges affecting the smooth running of the programme, particularly issues relating to food supply and student feeding.
He explained that measures have now been put in place to address those concerns to ensure uninterrupted academic activities in secondary schools.
Haruna Iddrisu gave the assurance during the commissioning of the National Teaching Council’s regional office complex in Tamale, where he reiterated the government’s commitment to sustaining and improving the flagship educational policy.
Speaking at the event, the minister acknowledged that food shortages had, in the past, created serious difficulties for some schools under the Free SHS programme, leading to disruptions in academic work and forcing students to return home before the completion of the school term.
However, he stressed that the government has now secured adequate resources to prevent such situations from recurring.
“Having examined the feeding of Free Senior High School students, we realised that there were many times that schools had to be closed down or, in the course of the academic year, students had to be asked to go home because there was inadequate food. That is now a thing of the past.”
The Education Minister stated that the government has strengthened financing arrangements for the programme through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which he said would ensure consistent support for the policy.
“There are adequate resources and adequate funding from GetFund to finance Free Senior High School.”
Source: CitiNewsRoom
Jun 26, 2026
For years, Ghana stood out in West Africa for the wrong reason. It had no national food reserve system, even as neighbouring countries had already established theirs.
That revelation came from the CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, George Abradu-Otoo, who described government’s recent efforts to build food reserves as a major policy shift despite severe funding constraints.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday, Mr Abradu-Otoo said the company has so far received only ₵300 million for grain purchases, far below what is required to undertake a meaningful intervention.
“Last year, Minister of Finance Dr Ato Forson announced that they were giving us further ₵200 million to continue the good work that we were doing, so in other words, so far we had only ₵300 million,” he said.
According to him, the amount is insufficient for the scale of work expected from the Buffer Stock Company.
“If we need to do proper meaningful mopping up of excess grains, we need no less than ₵1.5 billion, so you can imagine what ₵300 million has done,” he stated.
Despite the shortfall, Mr Abradu-Otoo insisted the allocation represents an important first step toward establishing a national food reserve system.
“But it’s a good beginning because it hasn’t been done before. That’s where I draw my comfort from,” he said.
He noted that successive governments had never seriously pursued maintaining strategic food reserves, making the current initiative significant.
Jun 26, 2026
The government, through the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), has registered 45 accredited Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to purchase grains, particularly maize and rice, from farmers in major producing areas across the country.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr John Dumelo, who disclosed this, said the move formed part of efforts to address the current glut of maize and rice on the market.
Mr Dumelo made the statement on the floor of Parliament last Thursday while responding to an urgent question on the grain glut and measures being taken to resolve the situation.
He explained that the involvement of the LBCs in purchasing grains from farmers would help reduce post-harvest losses and stabilise prices.
The Deputy Minister said the government was addressing the glut through a mix of direct purchasing, processing, storage and other interventions under the Feed Ghana programme.
He warned that failure to tackle the situation could discourage farmers from continuing the production of rice and maize.
Rice
Mr Dumelo further indicated that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, in collaboration with donor partners, was strengthening the country’s food systems and infrastructure through the refurbishment of storage warehouses and the procurement of equipment.
He said these measures would expand storage capacity and enable NAFCO to purchase and store larger quantities of food grains.
As part of long-term strategies to prevent future gluts, Mr Dumelo disclosed that the government was establishing five new maize-processing factories across the country to shift the focus from storage to value addition.
He also noted that a government directive requiring state institutions to prioritise the purchase of locally produced rice and maize would help absorb excess production.
According to him, the interventions being implemented by the Ministry underscore the government’s commitment to resolving the challenges facing rice and maize farmers.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
Source:Ghanaian Times
Jun 25, 2026
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has asked the government to engage fertiliser manufacturers and suppliers to reduce market prices, warning that free fertiliser distributions alone will not meet the needs of the country’s millions of farmers.
The call follows the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s recent distribution of 40,000 bags of inorganic fertiliser and five agricultural drones to PFAG under the Feed Ghana Programme to support smallholder farmers and boost agricultural productivity.
Speaking to Citi Business News, Executive Director of PFAG, Bismark Nortey, welcomed the intervention but stressed that the quantities available remain inadequate relative to demand.
“We know that the policy for the government this year, when it comes to fertilisers is free distribution. However, there’s a challenge because not all farmers will be able to access it,” he said.
He noted that PFAG’s membership alone ranges between 500,000 and one million farmers, making it impossible for the current allocation to satisfy demand.
“If you’re having 40,000 bags, you can’t even supply all,” he noted.
Nortey explained that while district agricultural offices and constituencies are also receiving fertiliser allocations, the overall volumes available are still insufficient when compared to Ghana’s estimated farming population of about three million people.
“We are looking at around three million people, and you can imagine the burden on government coffers if you have to supply over three million bags of fertiliser,” he said.
To address the gap, PFAG is proposing a complementary strategy that would make fertiliser more affordable for farmers who are unable to benefit from the free distribution programme.
“What I would encourage the ministry to do, in addition to this gesture, is to find a mechanism to ensure that they engage these fertiliser companies to reduce the prices so that farmers who are not able to access any of the free fertilisers can at least buy them on the market at reduced prices,” Nortey stated.
He argued that lower fertiliser prices would provide relief to farmers grappling with market challenges, produce gluts and limited access to capital.
“We all know the challenges that our farmers are facing regarding the markets, glut and the fact that they are unable to raise enough capital,” he added.
Jun 25, 2026
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is pleased to invite Corporate Ghana, Development Partners, Donor Agencies, Financial Institutions, Agribusinesses and other key stakeholders to the official launch of the 42nd National Farmers’ Day Celebration.
The launch will take place on Tuesday, 30th June 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the forecourt of the Ministry in Accra.
For over 40 years, the National Farmers’ Day Celebration has been Ghana’s major platform for recognizing and celebrating the hard work, innovation and contribution of farmers, fishermen, agricultural workers, agribusinesses, researchers and institutions that continue to drive the growth of the agricultural sector.
This launch would officially kick-start activities leading to the 2026 national celebration. The Ministry will unveil the theme for the 42nd edition, announce the host region, outline the programme of activities and provide details on award categories and other key arrangements.
The event will also highlight sponsorship and partnership opportunities for valued organizations interested in supporting Ghana’s agricultural development agenda. It offers a valuable platform for stakeholders to engage directly with the Ministry and explore areas for collaboration towards a successful and impactful celebration.
As Ghana continues to pursue sustainable agricultural growth, food security, job creation and value addition, the Ministry recognizes the important role played by the private sector and development partners. Your support does not only honor the efforts of farmers and value chain actors but also contributes to building a stronger and more resilient agricultural sector.
The Ministry therefore encourages all organizations and partners to attend the launch and take advantage of the opportunities for engagement and partnership.
Together, let us celebrate the individuals and institutions whose efforts continue to feed the nation and drive agricultural transformation in Ghana.
Issued By:
Public Relations Unit
Ministry of Food and Agriculture
