A wave of despair has swept across the Sisaala areas in the Upper West Region of Ghana as grain farmers grapple with a devastating collapse in market prices, turning what was once a season of hope into a nightmare of survival.
For weeks, prices of major grains such as maize and soybeans have plummeted drastically, leaving warehouses full but pockets empty. Farmers say their investments have turned into losses, with no buyers in sight and government intervention yet to materialise.
At the start of the 2025 farming season, fertiliser prices skyrocketed — a 50kg bag of Yara fertiliser sold for GH¢570, Invest fertiliser GH¢420, and agrochemicals sold at GH¢45 per litre. Yet, as the harvest came in, maize that once sold at GH¢400 per 100kg now fetches as low as GH¢150, while new maize trades between GH¢200 and GH¢250.
“This is heartbreaking,” lamented Alhaji Nankpa Jibriel, a farmer, buyer, and teacher. “The government must lift the ban on the exportation of cereals and halt imports. Our barns are full, but our children can’t go to school.”
With many farmers heavily indebted and unable to sell their produce, the crisis threatens not only livelihoods but also education in farming communities, as parents struggle to pay school fees.
The government’s long-touted Buffer Stock intervention remains elusive, deepening farmers’ frustration. As one distraught farmer posted on social media, “Our grains are plenty, but hunger is real.”
If the trend continues, experts warn, crop farming in northern Ghana could lose its appeal to the next generation — a painful blow to the nation’s food security.
Source: www.kumasimail.com/Ayamga Bawa Fatawu
