Policy Overhaul

Policy Overhaul: Transforming Ghana’s Agricultural Future Through Agroecology
At Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG), we believe policy is the backbone of systemic change. For decades, Ghana’s agricultural policies have prioritized industrial agriculture—profit-driven, chemical-intensive practices that degrade ecosystems, displace smallholder farmers, and deepen reliance on foreign imports. Our Policy Overhaul Initiative demands a radical shift: redirecting government support to agroecology, a science, practice, and movement that harmonizes farming with nature, tradition, and community well-being.

Why Policy Overhaul Matters

Ghana’s current policies favor industrial agriculture through:

• Subsidies for Synthetic Inputs: Over 60% of agricultural subsidies fund chemical fertilizers and pesticides, trapping farmers in debt cycles.

• Land Grabs: Corporate-friendly laws enable large-scale land acquisitions, displacing rural communities.

• GMO Promotion: Regulatory loopholes fast-track genetically modified crops, threatening biodiversity.

Agroecology offers a justice-centered alternative:

• Climate Resilience: Diversified farms withstand droughts and floods better than monocultures.

• Economic Justice: Redistributes power from corporations to smallholder farmers, who produce 70% of Ghana’s food.

• Healthier Futures: Eliminates toxic chemicals linked to cancers and soil depletion.

FSG’s Policy Strategies

We work to dismantle exploitative systems and replace them with policies that honor people and planet.

1. Legislative Advocacy

• National Food Sovereignty Act: Lobbying for a law to prioritize agroecology in national budgets, research, and extension services.

• Ban on Harmful Practices: Campaigning to outlaw glyphosate herbicides and GMO field trials.

• Land Rights Protections: Advocating for laws that secure communal land ownership for farmers.

2. Budget Justice

• Redirect Subsidies: Shift 30% of chemical input subsidies to agroecology training, organic seed banks, and farmer cooperatives.

• Green Grants for Youth: Create a ₵50 million fund for young agroecology entrepreneurs.

3. Institutional Reform

• Agroecology Training for Officials: Partner with MOFA (Ministry of Food and Agriculture) to retrain extension officers in sustainable practices.

• National Agroecology Task Force: Establish a multi-stakeholder body to oversee policy implementation.

4. Grassroots Mobilization

• Farmer Petitions: Amplify voices of 10,000+ smallholders through nationwide signature campaigns.

• Citizen Audits: Empower communities to document and report corporate land grabs or environmental harm.

Key Campaigns

• #SubsidizeSoilNotSyngenta: A viral campaign demanding an end to corporate tax breaks and a reallocation of funds to agroecology.

• “Our Land, Our Future”: Protests against proposed [XYZ Industrial Agriculture Bill], which risks privatizing 1 million hectares of farmland.

• Agroecology Week: Annual events with policymakers, featuring farm tours, policy hackathons, and traditional food fairs.

Impact & Progress

• 2023 Victory: FSG’s advocacy led to the withdrawal of a $200 million loan package tied to GMO adoption.

• Model Communities: 15 districts have adopted FSG’s agroecology zoning laws, banning monocultures near water bodies.

• Farmer Testimonial: “Policy change gave us back our dignity. Now, my cooperative gets grants for compost, not chemicals.” – Ama, Volta Region.

How You Can Drive Change

• Sign & Share: Join our petition to pass the National Food Sovereignty Act.

• Engage Locally: Attend district assembly meetings to demand agroecology support.

• Become a Policy Fellow: Apply for FSG’s 3-month advocacy training program for youth.

• Pressure Decision-Makers: Use our template to email your MP about pesticide bans or subsidy reforms.