Bryan Acheampong, Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, has expressed confidence that the country will avoid famine despite the severe drought affecting Northern Ghana.
The region has endured more than two months without rainfall, which has stunted crop growth and raised concerns about food security and farmer livelihoods.
In an interview on Channel One TV’s “Face to Face“ with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Acheampong dismissed fears of a repeat of the devastating 1983 famine.
He attributed the current situation to a lack of predictive tools and intelligence available at the time, noting that the country is now better equipped to handle such crises.
“I don’t think there will be a 1982 [1983] event, I don’t think that there will be famine, I don’t think that there will be food shortages,“ Acheampong said. “We have improved our capacity to address these situations and are implementing measures to mitigate any potential food scarcity.“
Acheampong highlighted that the impact on markets may become more pronounced toward the end of September and October but assured that the government is taking steps to address these issues.
He noted that farmers still have a stockpile of grains, which will help sustain them until the next harvest in September.
The Minister emphasized that the government is working to ensure all systems and support mechanisms are in place by late September to prevent severe food shortages.
The 1983 famine, triggered by drought and bushfires, led to significant food production losses in Ghana.
However, Acheampong was reassured that the current situation was being managed with advanced tools and support systems to prevent a similar crisis.
