The Minority in Parliament is calling for a bold national shift toward modern, AI-powered agriculture and fisheries as the country marks Farmers’ Day.

In a statement signed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the caucus said the country cannot survive on outdated tools and broken systems while farmers and fishers suffer deep losses.

The statement praised the resilience of farmers, fisherfolk, processors, and agricultural workers who continue to feed the country despite what it described as some of the gravest challenges in Ghana’s modern agricultural history. It said the day must be one of reflection.

It must honour the strength of farmers and fishers who continue to work in the face of frustration, neglect, and policy failures.

The Minority highlighted the scale of the crisis facing the sector this year. It pointed to a catastrophic grain market collapse where over one million metric tonnes of paddy rice valued at GH¢5 billion remain unsold across the northern regions.

It said farmers have been abandoned even after government promised in September that the National Food Buffer Stock Company would buy all locally produced rice and maize. According to the statement, livelihoods have been jeopardised, and national food security has been weakened.

The caucus also turned attention to the struggles of fishing communities. It celebrated canoe owners, crew members, fishmongers and processors for keeping the country fed, but said they continue to battle depleted stocks, illegal fishing, and crippling logistical failures.

It mentioned the crisis in Keta, where fishing activity has reportedly been crippled by a chronic lack of premix fuel. It called the situation a symptom of systemic neglect that has kept boats docked and families hungry.

The Minority described 2025 as a year of pain and broken promises. It referenced the symbolic boycott of national celebrations by professional farmer associations who marched through Tamale asking, “Government promised to buy every grain. Where are you?”

The statement also warned that smuggled and expired rice, often repackaged by politically connected importers, is destroying the local market. It said illegal imports have become cheaper due to currency gains and falling global grain prices, making local farmers uncompetitive. It added that illicit fishing practices and unregulated imports have placed similar pressure on local fishers.

The cocoa sector was highlighted as another front in the crisis. The Minority cited troubling volatility in global prices and the loss of 30,000 hectares of cocoa farms to illegal mining. It said communities are facing degraded land, poisoned water, and collapsing livelihoods, forcing some farmers to abandon cocoa altogether.

The statement warned that water bodies essential for irrigation, fishing, and treatment plants have been damaged by galamsey. It referenced turbidity levels in the Ayensu River that soared far above acceptable thresholds, threatening aquatic life and the communities that depend on it.

The Minority said high production costs and low productivity continue to choke farmers and fishers. It pointed to barriers such as poor roads, storage delays, expensive nets, and uncertain fuel supply. It said Ghana’s imports of food and fish remain far too high for a country with fertile land and abundant waters.

The caucus used the day to push for aggressive national investment in modern technology. It said Ghana cannot keep relying on outdated tools when the world is being reshaped by artificial intelligence, drone applications, precision agriculture, soil analytics, climate and marine forecasting, and smart irrigation systems.

It called for action on AI-driven yield and catch forecasting, digital crop and fishery monitoring, mechanisation supported by AI equipment, modern service centres, and national AI platforms for market access and logistics. It said this is how Ghana becomes competitive and creates jobs.

The Minority listed urgent actions needed to protect the farming and fishing communities.

It called for the immediate purchase of unsold grain, restoration of premix fuel supply starting with Keta, enforcement against smuggled and expired imports, strong measures against illegal mining and fishing, expansion of the Feed Ghana Programme, subsidies for modern technologies, and investment in irrigation, storage, cold chains, road networks, landing sites, and agro-processing.

The statement ended with a tribute to the nation’s farmers and fishers. It said their courage feeds Ghana, and their resilience sustains the economy. It pledged the Minority’s full commitment to championing their cause until the country modernises agriculture and fisheries using AI, technology, and innovation.

It wished all farmers and fishers a happy Farmers’ Day.