It looks like government is finally listening to academia and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Ghanaians have waited for this policy for a very long time. As an Agricultural Economist, I warmly welcome President Mahama’s directive for all Basic and Senior High Schools to purchase locally produced rice, maize, chicken, and eggs.
For decades, academia and other stakeholders have consistently advocated for policies that increase demand for locally produced agricultural commodities. When schools, hospitals, and other public institutions buy directly from local farmers, we create a stable and predictable market that strengthens value chains, boosts rural economies, and enhances national food security. Higher demand for local produce also reduces dependence on imports. Over time, the resulting competition forces imported commodities to become cheaper, helping to ease inflationary pressures and improving overall economic stability.
Unfortunately, Ghana’s long delay in adopting such a directive has cost the economy dearly. The poultry and rice sectors, in particular, have suffered from years of weak demand, cheap imports, and inconsistent government support. Our poultry farmers have struggled to compete with heavily subsidised imported chicken, while many rice producers experience recurring post-harvest losses due to limited and uncertain market access. Had this directive come much earlier, Ghana could have prevented some of these challenges by providing a guaranteed institutional market and encouraging greater private-sector investment in domestic production.
What makes this delay even more striking is that one of our own, Honourable Abraham Dwuma Odoom, played a pivotal role in helping Nigeria implement a similar policy framework many years ago. Honourable Odoom developed the concept and provided technical guidance that contributed significantly to Nigeria’s modern rice sector transformation. Nigeria benefitted greatly from the expertise of a Ghanaian agricultural leader, while here at home, we took far longer to adopt the same kind of policy solutions he helped others implement so successfully.
Our neighbours in Nigeria offer a practical demonstration of what such policies can achieve. Their deliberate restrictions on imports of commodities that can be produced locally, combined with strong support for domestic producers, significantly boosted their rice and poultry industries. Despite some implementation challenges, these reforms shifted consumer demand toward home-grown foods and sharply reduced the country’s import bill. Ghana is equally capable of achieving similar, if not better, outcomes with sustained commitment and effective implementation.
This directive is therefore more than a procurement instruction; it is a strategic intervention. For years, our farmers have faced market uncertainty, post-harvest losses, and fluctuating prices. Creating a guaranteed institutional market for their produce can stabilise incomes, reduce waste, and keep money circulating within rural communities.
However, the long-term success of this directive will depend on timely payments to suppliers, transparent sourcing arrangements, and strong coordination between schools, the National Food Buffer Stock Company, the Ministry of Education, and organised farmer groups. If these elements are managed effectively, this policy has the potential to become one of the most transformative pro-farmer initiatives in recent decades.
In short, this directive is a win for farmers, a win for students, and a win for Ghana’s agricultural growth. The task ahead is ensuring that it moves beyond the announcement stage and becomes a consistent national practice across all schools.
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