The International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), a non-profit organization is engaging policymakers at national and international levels to make fertilizers more affordable on the market for farmers.
IFDC has acknowledged the fact that Ghana is finding it difficult to continue providing fertilizer subsidies on a sustainable basis for farmers to assist farmers in producing food to feed the growing population. This, the organization said, is attributed to the hike in prices of the product on the market.
The Regional Director of IFDC, North and West Africa, Dr. Oumou Camara made this known at a press briefing at Accra during the first open-door event to celebrate the 20 years IFDC has helped to develop agriculture in Ghana.
The event was held by the IFDC in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), and this afforded the organization to make known the organization’s expertise and the numerous solutions it has undertaken to tackle the challenges and hindrances facing the agriculture sector in the country.
Dr. Camara hinted that the prices of fertilizers have risen over the past years. According to him, the price for Urea, for instance, had been rising since 2010 to the present date. He added that farmers are likely to pay more per 50kg bag of Urea due to the increase in prices between GH₵ 300 to GH₵ 350.
Placing some emphasis on the affordability of fertilizers, she mentioned that on the international market, prices of fertilizers keep rising which has subsequently led to an increase in fertilizers prices on the local market.
She disclosed that IFDC was ever ready to assist farmers from groups to access finance or credit facilities to support their farming activities in the country.
Dr. Camara revealed that between 2018 and 2019, the organization had supported the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative by conducting research and presenting the research findings to ensure the supply of quality fertilizer to promote high yield.
“Ghana is finding it difficult to continually provide fertilizer subsidies on a sustainable basis for farmers to assist farmers in producing food to feed the growing population”
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