This, he says is despite a Ministry of Food and Agriculture budget allocation exceeding GH₵ 2 billion.
In an interview on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday, November 10, Mr Nortey, explained that the initial Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program concluded in 2022, as the former sector minister pursued other ambitions.
The new minister subsequently introduced PFJ 2.0, but the rollout took an entire year to plan and implement, leaving farmers without access to subsidies or input supplies throughout 2023.
“What that meant is that in 2023 farmers across the country did not receive any form of support from government. Be it subsidy or supply of any input. However, that same year, the government, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, had an allocation of more than 2 billion Ghana cedis,” he said.
Nortey highlighted the lack of tangible interventions for farmers, who faced rising costs with no relief from the government.
“If such a significant budget was allocated to the Ministry, yet farmers received no direct benefit, one must question how those funds were utilized,” he remarked.
He also pointed out the daily challenges faced by farmers, including the impact of climate change, the threat of illegal mining activities on arable land, difficulties in accessing farm inputs, and limited progress in mechanization centres.
He noted the ineffectiveness of certain government policies as another hurdle impeding agricultural growth.
These obstacles, he argued, make it essential for the government to provide reliable support and actionable solutions to sustain and develop Ghana’s agricultural sector.