MoFA Distributes 40,000 Bags of Fertilizer and Drones to Boost Food Production in Northern Ghana

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has launched a major input distribution drive under its flagship Feed Ghana programme, handing over 40,000 bags of inorganic fertilizer and five sets of agricultural drones to the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana ahead of the 2026 major planting season in the northern sector.

The distribution, announced on Monday by Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku, is designed to strengthen food security and raise agricultural productivity in a region that accounts for a significant share of Ghana’s grain and legume output but has historically struggled with low yields and limited access to modern inputs.

“We gather to make a statement — a statement that the Ghanaian farmer matters, that the farmer remains central to our food security, and that the transformation of Ghana’s economy must begin from the soil, from the farm, and from the hard-working hands of our farmers,” Opoku said at the ceremony.

Drones as a Farming Tool

The inclusion of agricultural drones marks a deliberate push to bring precision farming technologies to smallholder producers. The drones are expected to enable real-time crop monitoring, targeted spraying of inputs to reduce waste, and accurate farm mapping for better resource allocation.

“The future of agriculture will not be cultivated only with the hoe and cutlass,” the minister said. “The future of agriculture will also be cultivated with data, drones, improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, mechanization, extension, digital advisory services and precision farming tools.”

The move reflects a broader policy shift under the Feed Ghana programme, which aims to reposition agriculture from a subsistence activity into a technology-driven, investment-worthy sector. The programme also encompasses school feeding initiatives, livestock market regulation, and partnerships to achieve self-sufficiency in key crops such as tomatoes.

Northern Ghana’s Agricultural Significance

Northern Ghana’s savannah zones are the country’s breadbasket for maize, rice, sorghum, and soybean, yet farmers in the region face persistent challenges including erratic rainfall, poor road infrastructure, and limited access to credit. The government has argued that targeted input subsidies combined with technology adoption can close the productivity gap.

The 40,000 fertilizer bags distributed this week build on a series of interventions under the current administration, including a commitment to supply only locally produced seeds from 2026 onward and mechanisation projects supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency aimed at lowering rice production costs.

Earlier this year, an International Atomic Energy Agency expert noted that Ghana has significant untapped potential to develop climate-resilient crop varieties that could shield farmers from the growing threat of dry spells linked to climate change — a challenge the current input distribution seeks partly to address.

Building a Resilient Sector

The Bank of Ghana has also weighed in on agricultural finance, recently urging commercial lenders to direct more credit toward agriculture and productive sectors rather than defaulting to the safety of government securities. Increased farm-level investment, the central bank argued, is essential for broader economic growth and food price stability.

For the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, which represents smallholder producers across the country, the latest distribution offers tangible support at a critical moment. Planting windows in the northern sector are narrow, and delays in input delivery can translate directly into reduced harvests and food insecurity.

The government has signalled that further distributions and training programmes on digital advisory services and precision farming tools are planned as the Feed Ghana programme rolls out nationwide.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE