Editorial: Certified seed reduction will alleviate farmer-financial burden

The decision by the National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG) to reduce the price of certified seeds by 20-25 percent for the 2026 farming season couldn’t have come at a better time.

It is aimed at directly alleviating the financial burden on farmers and accelerating the adoption of high-quality, improved seeds nationwide. Mr. Seidu Abdulai Mubarak, President National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG), noted that by making quality seeds more accessible, we empower farmers to achieve higher yields, improve resilience to climate variability, and enhance productivity and incomes.

To maximise the impact of this initiative and ensure widespread adoption, Mr. Mubarak formally called for a strategic partnership with the government’s flagship Feed Ghana Programme.

Such a partnership, would ensure that the benefits of reduced seed prices translate directly into increased food security, improved farmers’ livelihoods and the realisation of the Feed Ghana Programme’s core objectives.

However, the NASTAG President expressed his organisation’s deep concern about the current market glut situation affecting key staples, particularly maize, soya and rice.

“The glut creates a devastating cycle, including farmers incurring significant losses and being left without capital. This financial strain directly impedes their ability to purchase quality seeds for the next season, threatening future productivity and food security”.

Specifically, they appealed for the activation and scaling up of buffer stock mechanisms to mop up excess produce at sustainable prices, and the fast-tracking of policies that stimulate local industrial demand for maize, soya and rice, for example through the poultry, livestock and rice-milling industries.

Resolving this market crisis is necessary to protect farmers’ incomes, stabilise the value chain and ensure that the gains from initiatives like seed price reduction and the Feed Ghana Programme are not eroded.

Ghana’s seed sector has made tremendous growth in the past few years, with the development and availability of improved and locally adapted seed varieties. However, the adoption is still marginal, with just about 30% of the farmers using the improved varieties.

Improved traits like better yield, pest resistance, drought tolerance, herbicide tolerance, and much more are delivered to farmers in certified seed.

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