NDC National Vice Chairman Hopeful  Dr. Segbefia Lauds Mahama’s Feed Ghana Agenda

Aspiring National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Edem Segbefia, has admired the food and agriculture sector reforms inaugurated by the administration of President John Dramani Mahama, re-counting them as an amazing change that has transformed Ghana’s food and agriculture scene and improved the lives of normal populations in changing the narrative. 

During an interactive visit with grassroots party delegates in the North East Region, Dr. Edem Segbefia stated that the Mahama administration is actively transforming a food and agriculture sector that was in complete breakdown. By boosting local production, processing, and market access, the government is moving the sector from crisis to recovery.

Dr. Edem Segbefia outlined how the Ghanaian government is restructuring the agricultural sector, focusing on local production, processing, and market access to overcome previous challenges of high imports and low productivity. Key initiatives include the $200 million Tree Crop Diversification Project for seedlings and a $500 million oil palm expansion program. 

He added that the President inherited a high food import bill, low self-sufficiency, low productivity, high production costs, poor market linkages, poor road networks, climate shocks, food insecurity, low value addition, low agro-processing, corruption, and inefficient input programs."

" 'I bring you greetings and an expression of how His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama is fixing the Ghanaian food and agriculture sector, which was on the verge of complete collapse before the NDC government took power,' Dr. Segbefia commended."

"Ghana had previously experienced 'hunger in the midst of plenty,' where farmers produced crops but could not store, sell, or profit from them, while consumers paid high prices for imported food.

 Since taking office, President Mahama has moved the food and agriculture sector from crisis to recovery with a focus on production, processing, and market access.""Dr. Edem Segbefia noted these improvements in changing the narrative and presented the following successes as proof:"Tree Crops Diversification: 

The government has boosted local production and reduced imports by relaunching the $200 million World Bank Ghana Tree Crop Diversification project to distribute millions of seedlings to over 30,000 farmers for cashew, shea, oil palm, and coconut.Oil Palm Policy: 

He pointed out that President John Dramani Mahama's government launched the National Integrated Oil Palm Development Policy (2026–2032) with a $500 million financing facility to achieve self-sufficiency in palm oil.

According to him, the government has set a national target of 50 to 60 percent local processing of cashew, shea, and rubber annually, up from near zero. Plans are also underway to double coconut cultivation to 180,000 hectares by 2028.

Likewise, he noted that cutting post-harvest losses reviving farmer service centers and farmland banks as one-stop input and mechanization hubs. Investing in storage facilities, silos, and cold storage across agro-zones to reduce the 30% loss of perishable produce.

He said "Nonetheless, improving market access, prices building agro-industrial enclaves, and processing hubs, including a new shea processing hub in Wa for cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals.

He said banning grain exports temporarily and organizing haulage of produce from farm gates to market centers to prevent farm-gate waste.

He mentioned that targeting value addition so farmers sell processed goods, not just raw produce.

Besides, supporting farmers directly, Dr Segbefia pointed out that farmer services centers to cut input costs and improve productivity. 

He added that hovernment introduction of incentives, tax breaks, and credit support under the 24-hour economy and agro-industrial enclave programs. Focus on tree crops that withstand drought and provide long-term income in the North.

He stressed that the grassroots can position and take advantage of these food and agriculture Reforms. 

He stresed the NDC Grassroots to register with farmer service centers and cooperatives to access subsidized inputs, mechanization, and guaranteed market linkages. They should take advantage of free seedlings for cashew, shea, and oil palm under the tree crop diversification project.

Finally, he said these crops give income for 20+ years and fit Northern Ghana’s climate. Store your harvest and sell when prices rise, instead of selling cheap at harvest time. 

"With processing hubs coming up, form groups processed butter, oil palm, cashew locally, and processed added 3-5x more income than selling raw. With better roads, organize group transport to move produce directly to urban markets and cut out middlemen. 

In the 24-hour economy incentives, Dr Segbefia stated that $500M oil palm facility are open to private sector and farmer groups. Food and agriculture sector reforms give you the produce, input, and processing to make money from it.

 "Together, they mean more income, less waste, and more jobs in NDC strongholds. When farmers in North-East start earning more and food prices drop in the market, it’s proof that NDC delivers. That’s how you keep the base motivated and win new support," he explained.

"Comrades, when we produce more locally, you buy food at reduced cost in Chereponi, Gambaga, and Nalerigu markets. More food, better storage, and better incomes mean healthier children and families. 

"Processing shea, cashew, and oil palm here creates jobs for our youth and women. People will know it is the NDC that solved the food and agriculture sector crisis. This is the prestige of belonging to the ruling party that delivers on what matters most. 

According to him, this would give us massive opportunity to stay in power for long. When farmers are happy, markets are full, and prices are fair, the whole country stands with NDC government.

He stressed the need for the supporters and members of the NDC to keep supporting the government to deliver on our promises in food and agriculture sector.

He noted that when the government works, we all benefit, we smile, we celebrate, and we share the glory together as grassroots. 

He maintained that the food and agriculture sector that was broken is being rebuilt. North-East Region is not left behind.