Episode 15 | Supporting Ghana’s Smallholder Farmers through Capacity-Building and Policy Advocacy

In this episode, Bismark Owusu Nortey, Head of Programs and Advocacy at the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), discusses the Association’s work and how it first got its start in 2005, following the liberalization of farming systems in Ghana. When state subsidies for agri-inputs were removed and the importation of cheap industrial foods flooded local markets making it difficult for Ghana’s smallholder farmers to survive and thrive, PFAG responded. The Association provides a voice in policy advocacy for peasant farmers, builds their farming capacities, connects them with new opportunities and services, and facilitates market access to improve their livelihoods. The episode concludes with a discussion of agroecology and some of the challenges that farmers encounter when transitioning from industrial farming to sustainable farming. This interview took place in July 2023; it was facilitated by Feeding City collaborator Dr. Siera Vercillo, who has been conducting participatory action research for food sovereignty with communities and partner organizations in Ghana for over a decade.

To learn more about the Voices from the Food Frontlines, Sustainable Foodways podcast series, visit the Feeding City Lab at https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/projects/feedingcity/sustainable-foodways/.

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