Provide accurate data to improve support for seed growers – National Seed Council Chairman

The Chairman of the National Seed Council, Alhaji Bubakar Mumuni, has urged seed growers in the Upper East Region to provide accurate data on their numbers and production levels to help the government develop more effective interventions for the sector.

Alhaji Mumuni made the call in Bolgatanga during a stakeholder engagement organised by the National Seed Council to discuss measures to revitalise Ghana’s seed industry, tackle the circulation of fake seeds and promote the production of quality certified seeds.

He also disclosed that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would review some existing laws and regulations to create a more supportive environment for the growth of the seed industry.

His call follows concerns raised by seed growers in the region over what they described as a growing glut, with significant quantities of certified seeds remaining unsold in warehouses because of weak market demand.

The farmers said the situation was threatening their investments and livelihoods and appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to intervene by purchasing excess stocks and creating reliable markets to prevent losses.

They also called for measures to restrict the importation of seeds to create greater opportunities for locally produced seeds.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of Akandem Farms, Maxwell Akandem, said large quantities of grains remained in storage due to the lack of buyers.

“We have large quantities of grains in our stores. We are appealing to government to come and clear them for us,” he said.

Seed grower Doris Adda also raised concerns about what she described as unfair weighing practices by buyers, which she said were reducing the value of farmers’ produce.

“They use big sacks, like size 5, and buy it for just 360 Ghana cedis. We are losing,” she said.

The Chairman of the Seed Growers Association, Hon. Sule Agholisi, called for a policy to regulate the weighing of farm produce, arguing that the current practices put farmers at a disadvantage.

Another farmer, Mark Awini, identified the bagging of maize as an additional challenge, saying it negatively affected the returns farmers received from their produce.

The National Seed Council said accurate data from growers would be essential to understanding the scale of production and designing appropriate policies and support measures for the sector.