Bawumia Engages NASTAG on Seed Industry Challenges and Food Security
Former Vice President and 2028 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has met with the leadership of the National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG) to discuss challenges confronting the country’s seed industry and possible measures to strengthen food security and food sovereignty.
NASTAG is a private-sector organisation representing actors across Ghana’s seed value chain.
Dr. Bawumia said the engagement highlighted several critical challenges, including Ghana’s heavy dependence on imported vegetable seeds. He noted that about 90 percent of the vegetable seeds used in the country are imported, a situation he said requires urgent attention.
He also raised concerns over the large-scale importation of food products, which he said has made it difficult for local farmers to sell commodities such as maize, rice and soybeans, even when offered at lower prices.
According to him, the discussions further touched on regulatory gaps in the National Seed Policy, the influence of what he described as “political seed merchants” in seed procurement, as well as infrastructure challenges affecting the sector.
Dr. Bawumia described the meeting as engaging and instructive, noting that NASTAG presented a number of proposed solutions to address the challenges facing the seed industry.
He thanked the leadership of NASTAG for their time and contributions and expressed optimism that both sides would continue the engagement towards developing practical solutions to strengthen Ghana’s seed sector and enhance food security.
Source: Northwebonline.com
