Fertilizer shortage may cause famine — 2014 national best farmer cautions

The pressure mounting on government to settle the debts of fertilizer suppliers keeps growing.

The recent major stakeholder to have added his voice to the call is the 2014 National Best Farmer, Mr. George Asamoah-Amankwaa. He is urging government to make provision of fertilizers to farmers since the farming season is already close.

In an exclusive interview with Samson Kwame Nyamekye of Hello FM, he said if this problem continues without any stringent measures the probability of experiencing famine in the country is high since the populace will be depending on the depleting stock on the markets.

For him, currently farmers are dire need of the fertilizers and contractors are also not providing due to the debts by government which he said has made many contractors gone bankrupt.

Mr. Asamoah recalled how the previous government from 2014 to 2016 made fertilizers available to the farmers without payments in view of increasing yield however the subsidy system introduced by the current government is making farmers not have access to fertilizer; a situation he said is affecting farming businesses.

In an interview on Hello FM’s Boho Biom hosted by Sampson Kwame Nyamekye, the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia in the Ashanti Region said currently Ghana government likewise any other government is facing financial challenges.

“Government is aware, and much effort is being done to find fertilizers for our farmers,” he told Sampson.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has openly admitted owing fertilizer suppliers after the contractors distributed fertilizers to farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme.

According to a Deputy Minister for Agric, Hon Yaw Frimpong Addo, he said government still has arrears to be cleared in 2020 after paying part of the money to these contractors but for 2021 nothing was paid to the suppliers.