Planting for Food and Jobs Phase 2 fails to deliver

Stakeholders in the agriculture sector are pointing to inefficiencies in the rollout of the Planting for Food and Jobs Phase 2 (PFJ 2.0) as a significant driver of the recent surge in food inflation.

Food prices rose by 28.3% in January 2025, a slight increase from 27.8% in December, even as overall inflation eased to 23.5%.

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has criticised the delayed impact of the PFJ 2.0 program, calling it a key factor in the rising food prices.

In an interview with Citi Business News, PFAG President Wepia Adugwula expressed concerns over the inefficiencies in the implementation of PFJ 2.0, noting that the program has failed to deliver the expected support for farmers.

He emphasised the need for urgent policy changes, including the exemption of agricultural inputs from import duties, which he argues would lower production costs and help mitigate the food price crisis.

“We were not able to realise the full potential of Planting for Food and Jobs Phase 2, and this is what has culminated in the current situation,” Adugwula stated.

“We have consistently called for government support, particularly in exempting agricultural inputs from import duties. Most of our inputs and agrochemicals are imported, and the rising costs are heavily influenced by exchange rate volatility.”

In response to the ongoing food price challenges, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), launched the Ghana Core Agriculture and Production Methods and Environment (CorePME) Survey on February 3, 2025.

The survey aims to provide a baseline assessment for Phase 2 of the PFJ program, which stakeholders hope will address some of the current inefficiencies in the agriculture sector.

With food inflation showing no signs of slowing down, pressure is mounting on the government to refine its agricultural policies and implement more effective measures to support the country’s farmers.