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Ghana races to refill empty national food reserve — Buffer Stock CEO leads call for urgent action

NAFCO boss George Abradu-Otoo intensifies stakeholder talks to rebuild Ghana’s food reserve

High-stakes mission to restock Ghana’s food reserve begins

The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) is leading urgent efforts to rebuild Ghana’s empty National Food Security Reserve (NFSR). Its CEO, George Abradu-Otoo, is engaging international donors, development agencies, and key government stakeholders to revamp the system.

In recent meetings with the World Food Programme (WFP), Feed Ghana Secretariat, and Architectural and Engineering Services Ltd (AESL), officials discussed how to rehabilitate old silos and warehouses. They also reviewed plans for tracking systems, food laboratory upgrades, and the digitization of inventory monitoring.


Why Ghana’s food reserve matters now more than ever

The reserve serves as a national insurance—a buffer for crisis periods and lean seasons. Mr. Abradu-Otoo stressed that reviving it will help stabilize food prices, cushion consumers, and reduce economic shocks.

“A food reserve cushions against market volatility and ensures no Ghanaian is left hungry in an emergency,” he told stakeholders.

Earlier this year, the government announced a GH¢100 million fund for purchasing grains to restock the reserve. The initiative forms part of the broader Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.


WFP, KOICA, ECOWAS back Ghana’s food stabilization plans

Since taking office in February, Mr. Abradu-Otoo and his team have initiated talks with KOICA, ECOWAS, and WFP to seek technical and logistical support. During this latest engagement, Mr. Wambui Mbugna and Mr. Nuru Jumaine from the WFP’s Dakar office reaffirmed their support.

“We want to see Africans feed Africans,” said Mr. Jumaine.

The Feed Ghana Programme’s national coordinator, Bright Demordzi, added that the NAFCO-led reserve is key to the AETA, and its success is critical to reducing post-harvest losses and stabilizing rural incomes.


Take-home message

✅ Ghana’s food reserve is empty and must be urgently restocked
✅ NAFCO is leading efforts with WFP, AESL, and MOFA backing
✅ Food reserves help fight inflation, feed the hungry, and protect farmers
✅ Rebuilding the reserve is part of Ghana’s economic transformation plan

Gerheart Winfred Ashong

Gerheart Winfred Ashong is an environmental chemist, researcher, and multidisciplinary professional with a strong background in water quality, pollution remediation, and hazardous waste management. He holds an MPhil in Environmental Chemistry from KNUST and has published several peer-reviewed articles. In addition to his academic and lab work, he has hands-on experience in procurement, inventory management, quality assurance, and production within the agro-processing sector. Gerheart also writes SEO-optimized blog content on science, education, and development issues, blending research with public engagement. He is passionate about using science and storytelling to drive impact in industry and society.

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