Authorities in Upper East Region are calling for expanded storage infrastructure to match rising agricultural output, particularly in high-producing districts such as Builsa South.
Dr. Joshua Diedong said Builsa South alone produces about 30,000 metric tons of rice annually, a figure that continues to grow as farmers expand cultivation.
“With this level of production, one warehouse cannot serve the district,” he said. “There must be targeted investment in storage facilities based on production potential.”
Dr Diedong welcomed plans by the National Food Buffer Stock Company to assess and upgrade warehouses across the region but emphasized the need for a more strategic approach to allocation.
He noted that existing facilities, including a warehouse built under the government’s one-district-one-warehouse initiative, are already near capacity.
“Most of these warehouses are almost full, yet farmers still have produce at home and in markets,” he said.
The lack of storage and organized market systems, he added, discourages farmers from selling at low prices, even when they need immediate cash flow.
Dr Diedong also highlighted weaknesses in contract enforcement between farmers and aggregators, saying breaches on both sides undermine confidence in the agricultural value chain.
He urged the government to introduce guaranteed minimum pricing and strengthen contractual systems to protect both producers and buyers.
“If farmers are assured of a ready market and fair pricing, they will naturally increase production,” he said.
He pointed to the government’s Feed Ghana program as a promising policy but stressed that effective implementation will determine its impact.
“Planning is one thing; execution is another,” he said. “If properly implemented, it can address many of the challenges we are facing.”
