PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS AND THE IRONIC RISE IN COST OF LOCAL FOOD COMMODITIES

Since the beginning of 2022, Ghanaians have been upset and annoyed about the rising cost of living. Unusual fuel price increases triggered bouts of frustrations such as not seen before, then came continual increases in food prices.

These events caused Teachers’ Unions to embark on strike action with the teachers demanding an allowance they coined as Cost of Living Allowances (COLA). Government officials could not dispute the realities of the negative impacts of food and fuel prices and had to come to a compromise and strike an allowance deal with the teachers.

A cursory survey of Agbobloshie, Malata and CMB markets by afropoliatnonline.com reveal stunning contradictions of price stabilities as have been painted by officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and some government communicators. With the sharp rise in the cost of foods produced locally in Ghana, one wonders as to whether the positives of Government’s flagship food program-Planting for Food and Jobs-have helped farmers to increase yield to ensure that citizens can afford food to feed themselves.

Every week, market women who sell food produced from the farms of indigenous farmers express their dissatisfaction of the rising cost of the food prices so as consumers. Their complaints are that the foods are produced by local farmers and wonder as to why they should increase when they are not affected by the upward increases in the exchange rates.

At CMB Market today, one garden egg cost one cedi,1 liter of Palm nut oil 28 cedis, Gino tomato mix -7 cedis, Frytol cooking oil 250ml-8 cedis, Obaapa cooking oil 250ml-8cedis and Ena Pa 110g -6 cedis.

For weeks unend, prices of local food items continually rise and it wouldn’t be a surprise to market women and consumers alike if food prices were to increase next week as it has become a norm now. As to whether government intervention program-planting for food and jobs- has systemically helped farmers to increase yield or has not remains a subject that must be engaged by discerning minds.

Jeffery Jones