By Wisdom JONNY-NUEKPE
Ghana imported US$17.7million worth of livestock last year, data from the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) have revealed.
Of the value, PFAG indicated that cattle, goats and sheep constituted 70 percent of imports into the country from Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria in 2023.
Addressing participants during a Political Parties’ Accountability Forum in Accra, former Executive Director-PFAG Dr. Charles K. Nyaaba explained that though the livestock sector contributes significantly to Ghana’s food security agenda, the sector has consistently been ignored.
Sharing insights on past elections and agricultural development in Ghana, Dr. Nyaaba noted that the sector has received limited policy attention and support – resulting in high levels of importation.
The livestock sub-sector, comprising cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry, is crucial to Ghana’s food security, Dr Nyaaba maintained, adding: “Even with poultry, only five percent is produced here since 95 percent is imported”.
PFAG indicates the country presents the right conditions for livestock development, but this cannot entirely materialise without government policy and interventions.
About the Political Parties’ Accountability Forum
The Forum, which was hosted by PFAG, provided a platform for the key political parties and enabled them to discuss policy proposals and programmes in their manifestoes for the agriculture sector.
Representing the NDC, spokesperson for Agriculture/Director of Interparty & CSO Relations, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, affirmed NDC’s commitment to making the agriculture sector thrive.
He highlighted major policies from the NDC manifesto on agriculture and said the party’s vision for the sector is one that focuses on economic transformation and food availability, affordability, accessibility and utilisation.
A member of the NPP agriculture manifesto team, Moses Anim, said NPP’s plan for the sector remains unchanged as government’s position on mitigating effects of climate change to boost agriculture is being prioritised.
Key factors including mechanisation and irrigation for all-year-round farming, according to Mr Anim, remain the NPP’s vision.
Deputy Director for Policy at the Movement for Change, Mr. Courage Nobi, affirmed Alan Kyerematen’s commitment to agriculture.
He said peasant farming is an attractive venture that is at the heart of the Movement and will be given all support by his party.
“One of our key approaches is to end illegal mining, which hampers peasant farming. Peasant farmers produce 70 percent of Ghana’s food needs and it is critical that they are protected from all the hazards of galamsey,” he said.
Executive Director-PGAF Mr. Bismark Nortey said the forum was important due to the agriculture sector’s critical role in the livelihoods of Ghanaians and economy as a whole.
“It is our hope that whoever is given the mandate to govern will commit to prioritising and supporting agricultural development to secure a better future for farmers and the nation at large,” Mr. Nortey indicated.