The Northern Development and Democratic Institute (NDDI) has predicted that Ghana will likely face severe food shortages and hunger in the last quarter of 2022, stretching further into 2023.

On the basis of the prediction, NDDI explained that the cause of acute food shortages and hunger is a result of the government not heeding to the global warning on the looming food crisis.

According to NDDI, COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war have adversely compounded the food security challenges around the world, especially in countries within Sub-Sahara Africa due to shortages in natural gas and fertilizer supplies.

The think-tank made this known in a press statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Mustapha Sanah. The CEO indicated that the Institute has conducted a snap pre-planting season assessment in 11 well-known agriculture-advantaged districts in Northern Ghana between April 25 and May 12, 2022, which showed an acute shortage of fertilizer for smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana.

“In some instances, fertilizer companies are selling at higher prices outside the reach of smallholders, citing lack of government’s interest in paying their previous supplies.”
Mr. Mustapha Sanah

NDDI Advises Government

Mr. Mustapha Sanah, meanwhile, advised the government and the Ministry of Agriculture to re-assess the nation’s food security strategy and heed to the global call for governments in Africa to invest more in agriculture, especially fertilizer.

The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Food Programme, and World Trade Organisation recently warned that the rise in food prices would be exacerbated by a dramatic increase in the cost of natural gas, a key ingredient of nitrogenous fertilizer. They noted that surging fertilizer prices along with significant cuts in global supplies have important implications for food production in most countries, including major producers and exporters, who rely heavily on fertilizer imports.

The statement noted that the increase in food prices and supply shocks can fuel social tensions in many of the affected countries, especially those that are already fragile or affected by conflicts.

Mr. Sanah said the NDDI “collated 42,240 views from 173 farmer-based organizations, 16,200 smallholder farmers, 13 agriculture mechanization service providers, 18 agricultural extension officers, 108 women groups, and 16 traditional authorities.”

Mr. Sanah emphasized the need for the government to consolidate its flagship Planting for Food and Jobs program by making efforts to ensure the availability of fertilizer to all farmers.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and the government should delay no further in making payment to importers and fertilizer companies to ensure availability of subsidized fertilizer in the market. This preventive measure will ultimately mitigate the crisis when food shortages arise.”
Mr. Mustapha Sanah

Mr. Sanah urged the international community and the country’s development partners to support the government of Ghana to pay fertilizer companies monies owed them by the government to pave way for new supplies into the market.

“We call on the international community especially the World Bank, IMF, WFP and WTO, EU and UN agencies, and all our development partners to hasten steps to support the government of Ghana to provide fertilizer to smallholder farmers in Ghana.”
Mr. Mustapha Sanah