Farmers in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region have decried the difficult conditions under which they operate, citing poor road networks and challenges in transporting their produce to market centres.
The farmers, mostly from Yabiw, Apowa and Ewusijoe, said the situation was affecting their livelihoods and causing post-harvest losses.
They therefore called on the Assembly, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the government to rehabilitate feeder roads linking Yabiw, Apowa and Ewusijoe to market centres and provide storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.
They also called for support with farm inputs and access to ready markets, including a designated market day or buying centre for farm produce in the municipality.
In separate interviews during a visit to the communities, the farmers explained that despite recording good harvests this season, getting their produce to major markets in Agona Nkwanta, Takoradi and beyond remained a major hurdle.
“We work hard on the farm, but when it is time to sell, the road becomes our biggest problem. A journey that should take 30 minutes takes hours, especially when it rains.
Sometimes our cassava and plantain get spoilt before we reach the market,” Kofi Krampah, a farmer from Yabiw, noted.
Another farmer from Apowa, Enock Doe, said the high cost of transportation was eroding their already small profits.
“The drivers charge us exorbitantly because of the bad nature of our roads. After paying for transport, there is almost nothing left,” he said, appealing to the Assembly to come to their aid.
At Ewusijoe, some farmers said they were forced to sell their produce at very low prices to middlemen in the community because they could not afford to send it to the city.
“The middlemen know we have no option, so they buy at low prices. We lose a lot. If we had a proper market or storage facility here, it would help us greatly,” Kofi Bobby, a vegetable farmer, stated.
Ahanta West is one of the leading food-producing areas in the Western Region, known for the cultivation of cassava, plantain, oil palm and vegetables.
Residents said improving conditions for farmers would not only boost food security but also improve upon the local economy.
When contacted on the poor road networks, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Ebenezer Kofi Aidoo, said plans were afoot to ease the plight of commuters and farmers.
He said the Assembly would soon engage the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) to improve Upon the roads and facilitate better access to essential services, markets and economic opportunities.
GNA
