By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku has revealed that the country is taking a significant step towards achieving food security with the establishment of a national food buffer against emergencies.
“For the first time, Ghana is building national food buffer against emergencies. This is to strengthen national preparedness against emergencies while stabilising market prices for both producers and consumers”, he said.
During the government accountability series on Monday, November 24, 2025 in Accra, Mr. Opoku announced that the government has released 100 million Ghana Cedis to the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) to purchase excess produce from farmers, store them, and stabilize market prices.
This initiative according to him, aims to strengthen national preparedness against emergencies, such as droughts, floods, or economic shocks, while also supporting farmers by providing them with a stable income.
The government plans to use the buffer stock to regulate prices, ensuring that consumers have access to affordable food while farmers receive fair prices for their produce.
The move is part of the government’s broader strategy to modernize agriculture, promote agribusiness, and reduce food inflation. According to the Minister, the country still imports food items that can be grown locally, and rural youth are migrating to urban areas in search of jobs, indicating a need for more agricultural development.
The government has also announced plans to increase funding for NAFCO, with an additional 200 million Ghana Cedis allocated in the 2026 budget to expand the food purchase and storage program. This will enable NAFCO buy more surplus food from Ghanaian farmers and supply it to public institutions, including schools, hospitals, and prisons.
