‘I’m very committed to agriculture’ – Bawumia empathizes with farmers unable to sell their produce

Former Vice President and 2028 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has expressed concern over the difficulties confronting Ghanaian farmers, particularly those struggling to find markets for their produce.

Dr Bawumia said he remains deeply committed to the agricultural sector and believes Ghana must do more to ensure that farmers can sell what they produce at remunerative prices.

His comments come amid growing concerns about market access, falling producer prices and the financial difficulties facing farmers across the country.

‘I’m very committed to agriculture’

Dr Bawumia stressed his commitment to agriculture, describing the sector as critical to Ghana’s economic transformation and food security.

He said farmers should not be left in a situation where they invest heavily in seeds, fertiliser, labour and other inputs only to struggle to find buyers when their crops are ready for the market.

For him, supporting farmers must go beyond encouraging production.

There must also be deliberate measures to create reliable markets for agricultural produce.

Farmers struggling to find buyers

The concerns come against the backdrop of reports of farmers in parts of Ghana struggling to sell crops such as maize, rice and other food commodities.

Some farmers have reportedly been forced to store produce for extended periods or sell at low prices because of limited demand and inadequate purchasing arrangements.

The situation can have a devastating effect on farming households, particularly smallholder farmers who depend on proceeds from a harvest to repay loans, support their families and finance the next farming season.

Recent reports have also highlighted difficulties within Ghana’s cocoa sector, where farmers have faced challenges getting buyers with sufficient funds to purchase their beans.

‘Producing without a market is a problem’

The former Vice President’s comments highlight a longstanding challenge in Ghana’s agricultural value chain: increasing production without simultaneously guaranteeing adequate markets.

When farmers cannot sell their produce, increased production can paradoxically become a source of financial distress.

In some farming communities, reports have emerged of maize and other crops remaining on farms or being sold at heavily reduced prices because buyers are unavailable.

This has raised calls for stronger linkages between farmers, processors, institutional buyers and government-backed procurement programmes.

Agriculture and food security

Agriculture remains central to Ghana’s food security ambitions, with thousands of households depending directly on farming for their livelihoods.

For agricultural production to become more attractive to young people, farmers need confidence that their investment will translate into sustainable income.

This requires attention not only to farm inputs but also to storage, transportation, processing, financing and access to domestic and international markets.

Bawumia’s message to farmers

Dr Bawumia’s expression of concern is likely to resonate with farmers who have repeatedly complained about the difficulties involved in marketing their produce.

His position suggests that agricultural policy must focus on the entire value chain — from planting to harvesting, processing and marketing.

Without a dependable market, farmers can remain vulnerable even when they achieve good harvests.

The bigger agricultural challenge

Ghana’s agricultural sector faces several interconnected problems, including high input costs, inadequate storage facilities, limited processing capacity, transportation challenges and inconsistent market access.

Addressing these challenges will be crucial if the country is to reduce dependence on imported food and encourage more people to view farming as a viable business.

For farmers, the ultimate measure of agricultural policy is simple: after working for months to produce food, there must be a buyer willing and able to pay a fair price.

Dr Bawumia’s latest comments have therefore placed the spotlight once again on the need to make Ghana’s agricultural sector not only productive, but profitable for the people who feed the nation.