The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has urged the government to ensure the planned Farmer Service Centres (FSCs) are implemented in a transparent and non-partisan way to benefit all farmers nationwide.
Speaking in a recent media interview, Isaac Pabia, PFAG’s National Secretary and Upper East Regional Focal Person, emphasized that the success of the FSC initiative relies on fair and equal access for all farmers. He pointed out that these centres have the potential to significantly boost agricultural productivity by tackling mechanisation — a major challenge in the sector.
“Mechanisation is one of the key challenges in agricultural development. We have encouraged farmers to move from hoe-and-cutlass farming to commercial farming, and you cannot do that with outdated methods,” Pabia asserted. He stressed the importance of avoiding partisan approaches, saying, “We must move away from the ‘who you know’, party-based and partisan approach. We urge government to go purely commercial so that access is not determined by political affiliation.”
Pabia further highlighted that effective, unbiased implementation of the FSCs would ease farmers’ struggles to access essential services. While commending the government for allocating funds to agriculture in the 2026 budget, he warned that budget allocations alone are insufficient without timely disbursement and proper execution.
“All the areas government is allocating funds to in next year’s budget are good, but attention must be paid to implementation. A budget shows commitment, but actual releases are another matter,” Pabia said.
He also called on the government to invest more in agro-processing to reduce post-harvest losses that continue to diminish farmers’ incomes. Using Navrongo and ICOUR as examples, he noted, “Despite producing a lot of rice here, we don’t have a commercial rice mill. Could we not process our rice locally to ease transportation and create jobs?”
Pabia urged a holistic approach to agricultural development that includes value addition across the entire value chain, pointing to years of disproportionate focus on production alone.
He reaffirmed PFAG’s dedication to promoting policies that support farmers and strengthen Ghana’s agricultural ecosystem.