Kofi Adams, the Member of Parliament for the Buem Constituency, has criticized the government’s decision to ban the export of grains, labeling it as a “panic reaction” that fails to address the underlying issues affecting agriculture in Ghana.
The government recently announced an immediate ban on the export of key grains such as maize, rice, and soybean, in response to a severe dry spell that has devastated agricultural production across eight regions.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, stated that this measure is necessary to ensure food security within the country.
“With immediate effect, the government is placing a ban on the export of grains including maize, rice, and soybean until the situation normalizes,” Mr. Acheampong declared during a press briefing on August 26.
However, speaking on Ahotor FM’s morning show ‘Adekyee Mu Nsem’ with host Citizen Kofi Owusu, Kofi Adams argued that the ban is a short-sighted solution that doesn’t address the root causes of the crisis.
He pointed out that the government’s flagship agricultural program, Planting for Food and Jobs, has not been as successful as expected, which has left the country vulnerable to the impacts of the dry spell.
“If the Planting for Food and Jobs program had been successful, the effects of the lack of rainfall would have been minimal. The absence of proper solutions under this government has led us to this point, and the ban on grain exports is merely a panic reaction that won’t solve the problem,” Kofi Adams said.
He further criticized the government for failing to support farmers during last year’s bumper harvest.
According to Kofi Adams, the government did not purchase the surplus grains from the farmers, forcing them to seek buyers overseas.
Now, with existing contracts to supply grains to neighboring countries, the export ban is likely to have negative consequences for Ghanaian farmers, who are already struggling.
Kofi Adams stressed that the ban could strain the relationships between local farmers and their foreign buyers, potentially leading to economic losses for the farmers and further destabilizing the agricultural sector.
He called for more comprehensive and long-term strategies to support agriculture in Ghana, rather than reactive measures that could do more harm than good.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh (#RomeoWrites✍️) / Ahotoronline.com
