The Minority in Parliament has raised serious concerns about what it described as a worsening crisis confronting Ghanaian farmers and the growing environmental damage caused by illegal mining, calling for urgent government intervention.

In a statement issued to commemorate Ghana’s 69th Independence Anniversary on March 6, the Minority said farmers across the country were facing severe economic hardship due to unsold produce, falling prices and weak agricultural support systems.

The caucus particularly highlighted challenges affecting rice, cashew and vegetable farmers, saying many producers were struggling with debt and post-harvest losses.

According to the Minority, rice farmers in parts of northern Ghana have been left with large quantities of unsold paddy following the 2024 harvest, while millers have reportedly suspended operations amid the influx of cheaper imported rice.

“For these farmers, a good harvest has become a curse rather than a blessing. This is a policy failure, and it must be named as such,” the statement said.

The caucus also criticised the government’s decision to reduce the minimum producer price of raw cashew nuts from GH₲15.00 to GH₲12.00 per kilogram in December 2025. It argued that the reduction had placed the burden of global market fluctuations on farmers and created opportunities for unlicensed middlemen to exploit producers by paying below the regulated minimum price.

Beyond agriculture, the Minority warned that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, had escalated into what it described as a national environmental emergency.

“Rivers sustaining millions have been contaminated. Forest reserves have been stripped. Fertile agricultural lands have been rendered unproductive,” the statement said, urging authorities to pursue not only illegal miners but also the financiers behind the operations and to publicly destroy seized excavators intended for illegal mining activities.