Delays in Farm Input Distribution Threaten Planting Season, Warns SEND Ghana

Accra: SEND Ghana is calling on the government to speed up the distribution of seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs to farmers as the planting season begins, warning that delays could affect food production and threaten food security. According to Ghana Web, the policy research and advocacy organization issued a statement in Accra highlighting that information gathered from farmers in the Northern, Oti, Volta, and Bono East regions indicated many farmers have yet to receive inputs under the government's flagship Feed Ghana Programme. Further checks with the Departments of Agriculture revealed that most Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) had not received the necessary inputs for distribution to farmers. SEND Ghana expressed concern that the delay risks disrupting planting activities and could undermine the government's broader agricultural transformation agenda. 'With the onset of the rains, SEND Ghana and its partners call on the government to expedite the distribution of agricult ural inputs to farmers under the Feed Ghana Programme,' the statement said. The organization warned that some farmers were already reluctant to expand cultivation this year following losses during the previous farming season, when many struggled to sell their maize and rice due to a market glut. It cautioned that failing to supply inputs on time could worsen the situation and discourage more farmers from fully participating in this year's farming season. SEND Ghana also appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to prioritize young people, especially women, in the program's implementation to tackle youth unemployment. Increasing youth participation in agriculture could support job creation while strengthening food production across the country. The organization further urged the government to improve public access to information about the program by providing regular updates on implementation progress and modalities for accessing support. According to SEND Ghana, making such information publicly avai lable would help farmers better understand how to benefit from the initiative while enabling civil society groups to monitor implementation and provide feedback. 'The Feed Ghana Programme has the potential to enhance food security, reduce food inflation, create employment, especially for youth and women, and promote agro-industrial development and exports,' the statement noted. However, it stressed that the program's success would heavily depend on strong agricultural governance at the local level and timely delivery of interventions. 'Without these, the government risks missing set targets and wasting public resources,' it cautioned.