The government has started distributing 40,000 bags of fertiliser to small-scale farmers nationwide as part of efforts to improve agricultural output, raise crop yields, and enhance food security.

The exercise, which officially kicks off on June 16, is being carried out under the Feed Ghana Programme, a flagship policy aimed at providing essential farm inputs to smallholder farmers and boosting overall food production.

Officials say the initiative will help lower production costs for farmers while improving soil nutrition and supporting better yields throughout the current farming season.

It also aligns with the government’s broader goal of increasing local food production and reducing dependence on imported food products.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, the National Coordinator of the Feed Ghana Programme, Bright Demordzi, explained that fertiliser access is a key driver of productivity, especially for smallholder farmers who form a large part of the country’s food production base.

He added that the distribution is being done in partnership with the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana to ensure the inputs reach farmers across all agricultural zones.

“Our focus is to ensure that our farmers, especially our small-scale farmers, increase their production and productivity. One of the key tools for improving productivity is crop nutrition management,” he said.

Demordzi noted that the association’s nationwide structure makes it a suitable partner for reaching farmers effectively across the country.

“The Peasant Farmers Association cuts across all the various crop zones in the country. They are national in character. The Feed Ghana Programme is collaborating with the association to reach farmers across the length and breadth of the country,” he explained.

He further stated that a beneficiary database has been developed in collaboration with the association to ensure proper tracking and transparent distribution of the fertiliser.

“We’ve organised their database and the focus is to ensure that the bags reach all their members across the country,” he said.

The fertiliser rollout is expected to provide timely support during the planting season, helping farmers increase productivity and contributing to efforts to stabilise food supply and control food inflation.