Rice farmers at Twifo Afosua in the Twifo-Atti-Morkwa District of the Central Region have raised alarm over a worsening market situation, warning that they may be forced to sell their farmlands to illegal miners if urgent intervention is not provided.
The farmers say they have invested significant capital into rice production, largely financed through bank loans, but are struggling to find buyers for their harvested produce. The situation, they explain, is placing severe financial pressure on households and threatening their livelihoods.
The leader of the Twifo Praso Rice Farmers Cooperative Union, Mr Eric Offei, is calling on government to step in by establishing a dedicated Rice Board to regulate and support the sector, similar to the Cocoa and Gold Boards.
According to him, such an intervention would help stabilise the market, ensure guaranteed purchases, and protect farmers from mounting debts and losses.
He warned that without immediate support, many farmers risk abandoning rice cultivation altogether due to persistent economic hardship.
A machine operator at Twifo Nuamakrom, Mr Agya Yaw, also stressed the wider social implications of the crisis, arguing that strong support for rice farming could help create jobs and reduce youth involvement in illegal mining and crime.
The farmers are urging government to act swiftly to prevent what they describe as a looming collapse of rice farming activities in the area.
