Reversing the country’s food colonisation

By Amos SAFO

The two leading political parties in Ghana, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have launched their election manifestoes, which will become the blueprint for economic and social development, if either of them wins the January 7, 2024 general elections.

I have had cause to suggest that rather than using manifestoes as national development policy, Ghana should have a medium to long term development policy, irrespective of which government is in power.

A cursory examination of the two manifestoes reveals more similarities than differences. This gives an indication that the two leading political parties are on the same page regarding the economic difficulties confronting the country and how they plan to steer the economy out of the woods.

Interestingly the two parties often accuse each of stealing or plagiarising the policies of the other. The difference has always been the political will to implement policies that helps to reform our economy from its colonial vestiges and to reflect the current realities. The reality is that any country bent on restructuring its economy should aim at investing and boosting economic productivity.

As a developing country with huge prospects to become a middle-income economy, Ghana needs to prioritise agricultural productivity. The most critical issue confronting our economy is huge food imports. Therefore there is the  need for successive governments to invest more in agricultural production.

Agricultural and industrialization

In that regard, I will do a comparative analysis of the agricultural and industrialization policies of the two parties as outlined in their manifestoes.

The NPP was the first to launch its manifesto on August 18, 2024, based on its long term vision to spearhead a liberal economy, while providing socially inclusive policies such as the free senior secondary policy, planting for food an jobs, industrialization and the agenda 111 health infrastructure to improve primary health care.

The NPP hopes to achieve and sustain an average economic growth of six percent by expanding agriculture and industrialisation. This vision hopes to support industrialization, particularly in agribusiness and manufacturing, as part of the broader economic strategy.

Furthermore, the NPP plans to create jobs in agribusiness by modernizing agriculture, expanding irrigation, and supporting the entire agricultural value chain. This includes providing financial support to promote agripreneurs and expand agricultural exports.

Similarly, NDC promises to focus on industrialization, with specific initiatives in manufacturing and agriculture. This policy serves as an impetus to boost economic growth. According to NDC its job creation in agriculture is driven by plans to revamp the sector through mechanization, providing subsidies to farmers, and establishing agro-processing zones. The party aims to create jobs at every stage of the agricultural value chain, from production to processing and distribution.

Policy framework

As indicated earlier, out of the key policy frameworks by the NPP and NDC my interest is on how the two parties plan to radically revamp the agricultural sector. This is in view of the central role of the sector to overall economic development.

Due to the poor rains in the northern sector of the country, a possible food crisis could affect Ghana. I was recently in north, where I gathered that many yam farmers have been unable to harvest yams because of poor rains. The likelihood is that if rain fails to pour in the next few days, most of the yams will be destroyed.

Not only will the farmers lose the harvest, but they will also not get yams to plan next year. Apart from yams, other crops like groundnuts, maize and millet are in danger of failing, a development which may compound the economic situation. Thus, Ghana is in danger of having to import more rice and maize for domestic consumption, despite the abundance of natural resources and arable land God bestowed on our dear country. For this reason, I expected far-reaching agricultural policies by the two parties than what they offered. Specifically, NPP mentioned plans to expand irrigation to boost productivity. I only hope a Bawumia government will honour its promise to resuscitate agriculture through irrigation.

Natural resources

Increasingly, Ghana’s over reliance on rain-fed framing is proving counter-productive. In fact, the natural lands of Ghana and other African countries can produce enough food to feed the rest of Africa. Africa is blessed with several plants and food crops like maize, millet, guinea corn, cowpeas, cocoyam, plantain, bananas among others. Despite these huge arable lands, three-quarters of the continent’s 1.5 billion people are exposed to starvation and hunger each year.

Africa is home to 65 percent of the world’s arable lands, abundant fresh water and 300 days of sunshine. With these natural endowments and resources, Africa should have been the world’s food super power to feed other continents. Ironically, Africa is the world’s biggest recipient of food and aid due largely to poor investment in agriculture.

Party of Africa’s inability to produce food for her population is the result of civil wars, rebel insurgences, ethnic and religious violence and complex emergencies which divert people’s attention from farming to fighting. Consequently, rather than implementing policies to support local production, Ghana and other African countries overly depend on Europe and America for the supply of rice maize and wheat.

Every year Ghana’s rice imports increase because rice has become the staple in all homes across the country. Studies have shown that African rice is cheaper and healthier than foreign rice, which are often processed with chemicals and therefore lose their nutritional values. This makes it more pressing for agriculture to be given attention.

Mental slavery

Furthermore, Ghana and Africa’s inability to produce food is the lingering chains of mental slavery designed to tie Africans to foreign foods, tastes and lifestyles. I still wonder why my beloved Ghana with huge arable lands and natural resources should be at the mercy of wheat prices dictated by the war between Russia and Ukraine. It is sad that a continent endowed with huge wealth is rather begging for crumbs from the tables of western countries with less natural endowments.

Collectively we have allowed our cooking pots and eating bowls to be colonized by European and foreign foods like pasta, noodles, grapes, apples, frozen chicken and chemicalized fruit drinks etc. This culinary colonialism is not accidental, it is the outcome of a carefully orchestrated western strategy to destroy African indigenous productive systems. This strategy dates to several centuries when the Portuguese first introduced Asian rice to West Africa. The Portuguese started the decline of Africa’s rice production that had thrived for centuries.

Dependence on wheat

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, the repercussions of overreliance on wheat are clearly written on the wall. The Genz’s demonstration in Kenya and later in Nigeria had to do with the rising cost of food prices, including bread, which is made from wheat. It is sad that for all these years Africans still cling to the notion that bread must be produced from only wheat. This mentality is not just about culinary conservatism, it is also culinary colonialism.

There is enough evidence that Africa’s crops like millet, cowpeas, cassava among others can be used as substitutes for bread. In fact, Ghana’s and to large extent Africa’s food solution does not lie in the wheat and rice fields of Europe and Asia, it lies in our rich soils and in the brains of our policy makers.

All that is needed for the state is to launch innovations into diversifying our diets. This agenda needs state funded research and investment, such as venture capital for start-up in agribusiness and agro-processing. In furtherance of that we must commit to eating what we grow and grow what we eat. As indicated earlier, this needs state policy to liberate Ghana and Africa culturally, mentally and economically.

Food revolution

In fact, it is time for Ghana and Africa to start a food revolution to reclaim our culinary heritage. This can be done by diversifying our diet from the wheat and rice fields of Europe, America and Asia.

We must eat food that reflect our culture and climate. The new food revolution is one that will inject health into our bodies   and promote our sense of self-worth. It is time we make and eat bread from the grains of our liberation, from the rich harvests of Africa’s culinary traditions and innovation.

We need to create the food table that nourishes both our bodies and our souls. This is our challenge, our opportunity and our destiny. Long live Ghana and Africa.

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