Many farmers in Ghana do not have strong bargaining power and negotiating fair and better prices for their produce has been one of their main challenges.
To address the challenge, the National Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF), Dr. Abutu Kapori, has disclosed what needs to be done.
He revealed the details when he honoured a symposium for farmers and fishermen in the North East Region as a keynote speaker.
The event, organised by the association at Langbensi, a town in the East Mamprusi Municipality, brought together members and executives of the association, agricultural experts, traditional leaders and department heads.
It focused on the theme, “Peaceful Collaboration Between Traditional Authority and Farmers and Fishermen: The Role of GNAFF.”
“I admonish the regional leadership to critically identify and harness the comparative advantage of the North East Region in agriculture — whether in cereals, legumes, livestock, or any other enterprise.
“When we know what we do best and organise around it, our bargaining power as farmers and as a region will be significantly enhanced. Together, let us continue to work tirelessly to put food on every Ghanaian table and to make agriculture the pride of our nation,” he stated.
Three key actions for growth
Dr. Kapori further implored the regional leadership to focus on three key actions to strengthen the association at the regional level.
The three key actions, according to him, include: forming cooperatives for collective strength, registering members for data-driven decisions and educating farmers on modern techniques through local media.
He also encouraged farmers to take advantage of programmes initiated by the government to empower farmers, improve their livelihoods and ultimately boost up the country’s agricultural productivity.
“I also urge members in this region to seize the opportunities presented by the government’s flagship agricultural programmes.
“The Feed Ghana initiative and the recently launched Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme are transformative interventions designed to boost local production, enhance value addition, and guarantee ready markets for farmers. Let us position ourselves to benefit fully from these initiatives,” he said.
‘GNAFF is not partisan’— Dr. Kapori
The National Secretary praised the symposium’s theme as apt and relevant, and said the strong attendance showed stakeholders’ dedication to boosting agriculture in the region.
“There is no community in Ghana without a chief, and equally, there is no community in Ghana without farmers and fishermen. This reality makes collaboration between traditional authorities and our members not just desirable, but absolutely necessary.
“Together, we can create the enabling environment needed to increase production, ensure food security, and feed this great nation of ours. I, therefore, call for stronger, more deliberate partnerships between chiefs, farmers, fishermen, and all stakeholders along the agricultural value chain,” he added.
He also emphasised that the association was not a partisan organisation but one that was focused solely on the progress and welfare of its members.
“Our core mandate remains the pursuit of accessible and affordable markets for farm produce, the timely availability of quality inputs, the transition to climate-smart agriculture and viable agribusiness models, and the construction of good feeder roads that connect farms to markets, easing the heavy burden of transporting produce,” he said.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana
