Northern Ghana’s Smallholder Farmers Participate in Inaugural Farmer Policy School

A group photo of attendees at the inaugural Farmer Policy School.

Seventy-five smallholder farmers and agriculturalists in northern Ghana have benefited from the inaugural Farmer Policy School, jointly organized by the Feed the Future Ghana Policy LINK Activity and the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana.

Held in Tamale July 10 and 11, the two-day event aimed to equip participants with knowledge and skills to advocate for policies that promote a sustainable and equitable agri-food sector in Ghana.

The Farmer Policy School featured presentations on four critical agriculture policy areas: Youth and Inclusive Market Systems, Agricultural Mechanization, Agricultural Insurance Fund, and Input Credit System.

A participant contributing to discussion during the program.

The Youth and Inclusive Market Systems session emphasized increasing awareness among Ghanaian youth about opportunities in agriculture and “green jobs,” while the Agricultural Mechanization session provided an overview of equitable access to such services for smallholder farmers. Further highlights were provided on the importance of subsidized support for women smallholder farmers, to bridge the gender gap in mechanization.

In Agricultural Insurance, participants delved into the current state of agricultural insurance delivery in Ghana, focusing on progress underway to enhance coverage and accessibility for farmers to ensure resilience against risks. Participants received updates on Policy LINK’s collaboration with the National Insurance Commission to improve agricultural insurance service delivery. The final session, Input Credit System, focused on the current designs and implementation of the input credit system in the agricultural sector by Ghana’s government and private sector.

Following the presentations, participants engaged in group breakout sessions, allowing for in-depth exploration of the constraints, opportunities, and intersectional issues across the thematic areas. Through experience sharing and exchanging ideas, the participants identified actionable steps to drive policy change in these areas.

Attendees engaged in a group discussion following presentations on various agricultural policy topics.

The Farmer Policy School concluded with participants collectively agreeing on recommendations to advocate for policies that enhance their work. Policy LINK will liaise with the Chamber to develop policy briefs for the respective thematic areas and share the information with key stakeholders in the agricultural space to serve as evidence to guide decision-making.

On behalf of Policy LINK, Annie Dela Akanko, the Programs Lead, emphasized the Activity’s objective of collaborating with stakeholders to ensure more inclusive, coordinated, and transparent policy decision-making in the agriculture sector.  

Dr. Evans Brako Ntiamoah, a Food Security and Climate Policy Analyst with the Chamber, reiterated the importance of collaborating with Policy LINK to strengthen the agricultural policy space in Ghana. He added that, as a leading voice of the agribusiness industry in Ghana, the Chamber’s involvement in the policy school will enable the exchange of ideas and information and contribute to a collective effort in the agricultural sector.

The attendees, drawn from USAID’s Zone of Influence—Northern, North East, Upper East, and Upper West Regions—included smallholder farmers, input dealers, commercial farmers, agricultural service providers, and representatives of farmer’s associations for youth, women, and people with disabilities. 

Learn more about Policy LINK’s work in Ghana here.