The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) has intensified efforts to expand the country’s food storage capacity as it prepares for the next phase of the National Food Reserve Programme.
The government initiative aims to purchase surplus grains from farmers, store them for future use, reduce post-harvest losses and protect farmers’ incomes during periods of bumper harvests.
The programme’s initial implementation faced challenges because of inadequate funding and limited storage infrastructure. As a result, many rice and maize farmers struggled to sell their produce despite increased production.
CEO tours key warehouse facilities
To address the storage gap, NAFCO Chief Executive Officer George Abradu-Otoo has embarked on a nationwide tour to identify and secure additional warehouse facilities.
During a two-day working visit to the Volta, Oti and Greater Accra regions, Mr Abradu-Otoo inspected a dilapidated 15,000-metric-ton warehouse in Tema owned by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
NAFCO is currently in discussions with the ministry to rehabilitate the facility to support rice aggregation within the Shai Hills–Asutuare enclave.
The delegation also visited the warehouse at the defunct Volta Star Textiles Limited in Juapong. Rehabilitation work has already started following engagements between NAFCO and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness.
Regional w
arehouses set for rehabilitation
In Hohoe, the NAFCO CEO inspected a 1,000-metric-ton warehouse built under the One District, One Warehouse initiative.
He directed officials to clear overgrown vegetation, carry out minor repairs and improve access roads so the facility can become operational as soon as possible.
The team also visited another 1,000-metric-ton warehouse at Pai-Katanga in the Oti Region with Regional Minister John Gyapong. The warehouse requires vegetation clearance and minor repairs before it can begin operations.
Schools cite storage constraints
As part of the tour, the NAFCO delegation visited OLA Girls Senior High School in Ho, Worawora Senior High School, Kpando Technical Institute and EP Senior High School in Hohoe.
Although school authorities said food supplies were adequate, they identified insufficient storage space as a major challenge affecting the preservation of food commodities.
The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, and his Oti counterpart, John Gyapong, commended NAFCO’s efforts to strengthen Ghana’s food security while protecting the livelihoods of local farmers.
The latest inspection follows similar visits to the Eastern, Ashanti, Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Bono regions earlier this year as NAFCO continues its nationwide campaign to expand the country’s food storage infrastructure.
