The General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC–Ghana) has marked the 2025 Farmers’ Day celebration with a firm demand for the establishment of a Ghana Agricultural Service (GAS), insisting that the annual national event risks losing its meaning without a permanent institutional structure to support the sector.
In a statement issued on Friday, GAWU described Farmers’ Day as a moment of national pride dedicated to celebrating the hard work, resilience, and essential contributions of farmers across the country. The union acknowledged the difficulties farmers continue to face—including harsh weather patterns, unstable markets, and rising input costs—yet continue to form the backbone of Ghana’s food system and economy.
GAWU commended government for recent interventions such as the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA), which have expanded mechanisation, supported irrigation schemes, and revived the national philosophy of “produce what we eat and eat what we produce.”
Union’s Core Demand: A Ghana Agricultural Service
Despite these efforts, GAWU said the country must confront a “hard truth”: without a permanent, professional structure to drive policy, extension, and research, the celebration of Farmers’ Day risks becoming purely ceremonial.
The union is calling for the creation of a Ghana Agricultural Service, similar in stature to the Ghana Health Service and Ghana Education Service, to ensure consistent policy implementation, continuity, and long-term development in the agricultural sector.
According to GAWU, such a body would ensure sustained extension services, strengthen monitoring, improve research coordination, and make agricultural workers’ expertise central to national policy.
Key Issues Highlighted by GAWU
The union outlined three priority areas requiring urgent government attention:
1. Employment of Agricultural Graduates
GAWU expressed concern over the country’s worrying farmer-to-extension officer ratio of 1:1,500, far above the internationally accepted 1:500.
Despite producing large numbers of agriculture graduates each year, many remain unemployed because institutions such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, COCOBOD, and research institutes lack the budgetary clearance to hire them.
2. Recapitalization of COCOBOD
Cocoa, a key pillar of Ghana’s economy, faces risks due to COCOBOD’s debt burden and reduced capacity to support farmers.
GAWU called for urgent recapitalization to restore the institution’s ability to invest in productivity, value addition, and sector-wide sustainability.
3. Strengthening Agricultural Research — Especially in Horticulture
The union emphasized the need to revisit the 2013 approval by the CSIR Board to establish a National Horticulture Research Institute.
With horticulture emerging as a major growth area, GAWU said a dedicated research institution would support farmers, drive innovation, improve yields, and enhance export opportunities.
A Reminder of Commitment, Not a Ceremony
GAWU stressed that Farmers’ Day must serve as a commitment to building a modern, inclusive agricultural sector—not an annual formality.
“To secure the future, we must secure the people who feed the nation,” the union said.
Tribute to Farmers and Women in Agriculture
The statement paid special tribute to farmers, farmworkers, and seafood workers, affirming:
“We see you. We honour you. We stand with you.”
GAWU also highlighted the often-unacknowledged contributions of women in agriculture—from planting and harvesting to processing and trading—pledging to continue advocating for their rights, safety, and leadership in the sector.
By Andrews Tagoe
