The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has welcomed the government’s decision to introduce a rice import quota policy, describing it as a step in the right direction towards boosting demand for locally produced rice and strengthening the country’s domestic rice value chain.

However, in a statement issued by its National President, Douglas Annor, the Association stressed that the urgency of the current rice glut demands immediate and decisive implementation.

According to PFAG, “the urgency of the current glut demands immediate and decisive implementation,” warning that any delay in executing the policy would have far-reaching consequences for the sector.

The Association further cautioned that delayed implementation would “irrevocably defeat Ghana’s quest to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production,” adding that farmers are rapidly losing the economic incentive to continue production.

PFAG noted that its independent assessment and field monitoring across major rice-growing regions indicate that over 90 percent of rice farmers are currently holding significant unsold stocks of rice, a situation it described as a deepening crisis.

“Our independent assessment and field monitoring across major rice-growing regions reveal that over 90 percent of rice farmers currently hold significant unsold stocks of rice, a crisis that has persisted despite several policy interventions announced by the government," the statement said.

As the new farming season approaches, the Association revealed that thousands of rice farmers across the country have issued a grave warning that they may abandon rice production entirely unless urgent action is taken.

“As we approach the new farming season, thousands of rice farmers across the country have issued a grave warning that they will abandon rice production entirely unless an immediate and clear pathway to market their existing stocks is provided,” PFAG stated.

It added that “the livelihoods of these farming families, and Ghana’s food security, now hang in the balance.”

The association further stated that the situation is deeply alarming despite the government’s policy interventions.

According to PFAG, " Observations and analysis across key farming communities expose a stark and troubling contradiction: that, while Ghanaian farmers have produced an abundance of high-quality local rice, the market continues to be flooded by imported foreign rice.”

It added that “this incessant importation, even done by some state agencies that are expected to champion the cause of local procurement, coupled with rampant smuggling across several border points, is systematically undermining the efforts of our hardworking farmers.”

PFAG further noted that “the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), which was specifically directed by the President to purchase locally produced rice, has been unable to fulfill this mandate.”

It continued that “the failure of NAFCO to act decisively has left farmers without a critical buyer of last resort, deepening the crisis and sending a demoralizing signal to farming communities across the country.”

The Association stressed that “these institutional failures directly threaten Ghana’s food security and sovereignty.”

Beyond the quota system, PFAG is calling for a comprehensive and coordinated package of measures to address the current crisis and build a resilient, sustainable domestic rice value chain.

Specifically, the Association is urging the government to immediately impose a moratorium on rice imports for a minimum period of six (6) months to allow for the clearance of existing Ghanaian-produced rice stocks.

It says this critical measure will provide breathing space for farmers to recover financially, stabilise farm-gate prices, and restore confidence in the local rice market.

PFAG is also calling on the national security apparatus to move swiftly and decisively to clamp down on rice smuggling across all border points. It describes the ongoing illegal importation of rice as economic sabotage against Ghanaian farmers, stressing that it must be treated with the seriousness it deserves, alongside regular and publicly reported enforcement operations.

In addition, the Association is urging the government to enact a legal and regulatory framework mandating all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), state-owned enterprises, public hospitals, schools, prisons, the military, and all other public institutions to procure only locally produced rice and other staple foods.

PFAG insists that compliance must be strictly enforced with clear sanctions for violations and that farmer organisations, including PFAG, should be actively engaged in aggregating and supplying produce to these institutions.

The Association is further calling for an urgent and transparent review of the operational mandate, procurement processes, financing arrangements, and institutional capacity of the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO).

It maintains that NAFCO must be restructured and adequately resourced to function as an effective, efficient, and accountable purchaser of locally produced agricultural commodities, particularly during periods of market glut.

PFAG is also proposing the establishment of a dedicated price stabilisation fund for rice and other strategic staples to protect farm-gate prices and ensure farmers receive fair and remunerative returns on their investment, even during periods of oversupply.

Finally, it is calling for sustained investment in post-harvest infrastructure, including modern storage facilities, expanded milling capacity, and improved market linkage systems, aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing the competitiveness of locally produced rice against imported alternatives.

The Association notes that farmers engaged in the production of other critical staples, including cassava, maize, yams, soybeans, and cowpeas, are facing an equally demoralising situation, characterised by unsold produce, collapsing farm-gate prices, and mounting post-harvest losses that threaten the viability of their enterprises.

PFAG stressed that Ghana’s broader food security and economic resilience depend on the productivity and profitability of these value chains.

It is therefore urging the government to adopt a holistic, sector-wide approach to addressing market challenges confronting smallholder farmers.

The Association is calling for the development of a comprehensive Agricultural Market Stabilisation Policy to address price volatility, improve market access, strengthen procurement systems, and expand storage capacity across all key staple value chains.

PFAG further emphasised that as the new planting season approaches, farmers require clear and credible signals from the government that their investments will be protected and that their produce will be guaranteed a market.

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) reaffirmed its commitment to working collaboratively with the government and all stakeholders to achieve food self-sufficiency, stressing that farmers are watching and waiting for action and that the government must demonstrate through immediate and concrete steps that it values the men and women who feed the nation.

It added that it stands ready to engage with the relevant ministries and agencies to support the swift and effective implementation of the proposed measures.