Ghana may face maize shortage — MoFA

The Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Kwaku Minkah Forjuor, has hinted that the country would face shortage of maize early next year.

He attributed the projected shortage to the erratic rainfall that hit the nation during the year as well as deficit in the supply of fertiliser to farmers across the country.

Mr Forjour explained that although there was some quantity of fertiliser in the country, the high cost of the product prevented many farmers from purchasing the commodity.

He said another reason for the shortfall in maize production was the high cost of planting materials. Under the circumstances, he said, farmers made use of their own planting materials, which had very low yields.

The regional director for Food and Agriculture gave the hint in an interaction with the Ghana Agriculture and Rural Development Journalists Association, when the group paid a courtesy call on him in his office in Kumasi.

The association had visited the MoFA office in Kumasi to introduce itself to the agriculture directorate to seek ways of collaboration between the two institutions for growth in agriculture in the country.

Mr Forjour said the placement of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was affecting their operations as they were deprived of adequate funding for their operations.

He said if funding for the ministry was not improved but still made difficult , agricultural development in the country could be crippled since extension officers needed to go out to monitor and embark on projects on the field. At the moment, he said, the lack of support was grinding activities to a halt.

He said the agriculture sector was very crucial to the nation’s development, hence the least hiccup could spell disaster for the entire nation, considering it that it was the mainstay of a larger portion of the populace.

He urged the government to take another look regarding the supply of inputs and other needs of the sector because any significant shortages could affect food production.

The National President of the Ghana Agriculture and Rural Development Journalists Association, Mr Richmond Frimpong, urged the media to offer opportunities for Ghanaians to receive education on best practices in farming and agriculture as a whole.

He assured MoFA of the group’s support in developing the agriculture sector of the economy.