Many Ghanaian farmers are falling into penury due to post-harvest losses associated mainly with perishable produce, which takes away about 30 percent of their incomes.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Ghana loses US$1.9 billion annually to post-harvest losses, mainly due to the lack of access to ready-post-harvest machinery and market, inadequate warehouses, bushfires, and poor roads.
Miss Elorm Goh, Executive Director of Agrisolve, highlighted the severe impact of post-harvest losses on smallholder farmers, depriving them of a significant portion of their income. “If you lose even one percent of your produce, it’s a big deal, but in this case, farmers are losing up to 50 percent due to post-harvest challenges,” she said at a forum organized by the Graphic Communications Group in partnership with the WFP.
The theme of the forum was “Transforming Agriculture Productivity in Ghana: Enhancing Smallholder Farmers Through Reduction in Post-Harvest Losses.”
Ms. Goh called on the government to lead interventions, including ensuring increased private sector participation in providing adequate infrastructure, such as warehouses and machinery for processing to address post-harvest challenges. “If we provide the roads, the right machinery for harvesting of produce, and more cold rooms for storage, farmers won’t be losing between 40 to 50 percent of their toil, and that will definitely be income for them,” she emphasized.
Role of Financial Institutions
Ms. Goh also encouraged financial institutions to be innovative in providing tailor-made solutions to agricultural value chain players to reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmers’ incomes. Financial support tailored to the needs of farmers can help them invest in necessary post-harvest equipment and infrastructure, thereby reducing losses and improving productivity.
Mr. Steven Odartefio, Head of Food Systems at the World Food Programme, called for the creation of local government structures to enable agribusinesses to get access to farmers.
“Farmers are losing their output, which has an impact on their pocket. Although they harvest more, they supply less because by the time it gets to the end market, certain activities contribute to losses of the produce,” he explained. He stressed the need for the government to facilitate connections between agribusinesses and farmers, enabling agribusinesses to help transform produce and positively impact smallholder farmers.
Madam Marbara Clemens, Country Director of the World Food Programme, Ghana, mentioned their partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, targeting the provision of technical support and post-harvest equipment to some 100,000 smallholder farmers. This initiative aims to reduce post-harvest losses and improve agricultural productivity through innovative solutions and a network of aggregators.
Madam Clemens called for intentional national efforts to provide solutions across the agricultural value chain, from seed production to processing, making the sector more attractive to the youth. Prioritizing the patronage of Ghanaian produce can significantly contribute to food security and improve the income and living conditions of smallholder farmers.
The challenge of post-harvest losses in Ghana is a significant impediment to the income and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. By reducing post-harvest losses, the agricultural sector can be transformed, leading to improved productivity, enhanced income for farmers, and greater food security for the nation.
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