Nana Agyei Ayeh II, the President of the Ghana Rice Interprofessional Body Farmers Association, has criticised the Buffer Stock Company, calling it a “useless institution” with no real benefits for Ghanaian farmers.
According to him, the company is failing in its primary role, which is to purchase and store locally produced food items, ensuring they are available for citizens, especially during times of scarcity.
“The purpose of buffer stock is to buy grains from farmers and store them so they can be sold during dry seasons. Unfortunately, they don’t do this,” Nana Agyei Ayeh stated, highlighting his dissatisfaction with the institution.
His remarks come as Ghana faces a severe drought, particularly affecting the northern regions.
In response to the crisis, the government imposed an immediate ban on grain exports on Monday, August 26, citing concerns over food security.
This measure is intended to stabilise the domestic market and ensure sufficient food supplies for the local population.
The drought, which has persisted for over two months, has left crops withered and raised fears of food shortages. Farmers and communities in northern Ghana are increasingly worried as the lack of rainfall continues.
The government’s decision to ban grain exports is part of a broader strategy to provide immediate relief and develop long-term solutions to enhance food security and agricultural resilience in the affected regions.
In an interview on Hot FM Morning Drive, Nana Agyei Ayeh criticised Buffer Stock’s inability to purchase food items from local farmers, instead storing foreign food items. “What has buffer stock done for farmers in this country? Call and ask them how many reserves they have in their warehouses. As a farmer and a traditional ruler, I don’t see the importance of buffer stock and its benefits to local farmers,” he questioned.
Nana Agyei Ayeh stressed that perhaps the Buffer Stock Company is not being utilised properly, as he cannot understand why local farmers would produce food items only for Buffer Stock to refuse to buy from them.
Listen to the audio below: