A significant step toward enhancing Ghana’s food security and market stability has been taken in the Ketu North Municipality, where local rice producers are set to benefit from a structured, government-backed market intervention.
The initiative, led by Ketu North Member of Parliament **Mr. Eric Edem Agbana**, and supported by the **National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO)**, is designed to eliminate persistent post-harvest losses and improve price stability for rice farmers—an essential link in Ghana’s agricultural value chain.
The move is in line with national efforts to reduce rice imports and build a resilient domestic food system, aligning with Ghana’s broader **Food Security and Agricultural Transformation (FSAT)** policy framework.
At the heart of the initiative is the **activation of a dormant warehouse** facility in the municipality, originally built under a previous administration but left unused. NAFCO has now committed to operationalizing the warehouse as a strategic rice aggregation and storage point under its **Food Reserves Programme**.
“This is not just a local project—it’s a national food policy tool being deployed at the grassroots,” said **NAFCO CEO, Mr. George Abredu-Otoo**, during a site visit. “By buying directly from farmers at fair prices and storing in our reserves, we are stabilizing markets and contributing to national food security.”
NAFCO’s involvement will include:
* Purchasing rice from local farmers at **competitive farmgate prices**
* Establishing **structured engagement** with farmer associations for year-round purchasing
* Utilizing the **Ketu North warehouse** to store reserves and mitigate future shortages
Mr. Abredu-Otoo emphasized that the intervention is intended to “give farmers confidence, reduce wastage, and contribute to Ghana’s goal of reducing rice imports by ensuring local production is both profitable and sustainable.”
The success of such initiatives is critical to achieving Ghana’s target of producing 90% of its rice demand locally by 2030.
MP **Eric Edem Agbana**, who championed the request to NAFCO, said the move would transform agriculture from a subsistence activity into a commercially viable venture for thousands of rural families. “Our farmers can now expand production knowing they have a reliable buyer. This is what policy-driven agriculture looks like,” he noted.
**Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Martin Amenaki**, echoed the sentiment, calling the project a strategic boost for rural agribusiness and youth employment. “Beyond farming, this creates room for value chain development in areas like milling, packaging, warehousing, and transport,” he said.
Rice farmers, long plagued by poor market access and gluts, have welcomed the move as a long-overdue game-changer.
Mr. **Gabriel Atsu**, a rice farmer from Avalavi, described the intervention as “a turning point” for the local agriculture economy. “In the past, we harvested with no buyers in sight. This year, for the first time, we are planting with a market already assured,” he said.
Agricultural stakeholders see the initiative as a model for replication in other rice-producing districts, especially in regions with underutilized infrastructure. Experts note that combining infrastructure use with market assurance mechanisms could significantly reduce Ghana’s post-harvest losses—estimated at over **30% for cereals**.
The collaboration between government agencies, local leadership, and farmers in Ketu North may serve as a blueprint for achieving **inclusive agricultural transformation**—where smallholder farmers are integrated into formal supply chains that contribute meaningfully to the national economy.
