The Chief Executive Officer of National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Mr George Abradu-Otoo continue to engage development partners and other strategic stakeholders towards the revamp of the National Food Security Reserve (NSFR).
In the latest of such engagements, the Buffer Stock boss has held joint discussions with officials from the Dakar Regional Office of the World Food Programme (WFP), the Feed Ghana Secretariat and the Architectural and Engineering Services Ltd (AESL) in Accra.
The meeting discussed comprehensive plan by government to rehabilitate Warehouses and Silos, the purchase of food stocks as well as the provision of facilities such as laboratory equipment as well as digital systems for tracking and monitoring.
Government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture earlier this year pledged the release of One Hundred Million Ghana Cedis for the purchases of selected grains to be stocked in the revived national strategic food security reserve which is currently said to be empty.
The National Food Security Reserve is a dedicated stock of food commodities kept by the National Food Buffer Stock Company to be used by the state in emergency and lean situations.
The NFSR is also a strategy to address post-harvest losses and helps to control inflation.
Since assuming office in February this year, the new NAFCO leadership has held engagements with some donors including the WFP, ECOWAS and the Korean International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) seeking to activate the national food security reserve.
The meeting with WFP follows a similar one in May this year with the Regional Head of Resilience and Food Systems at WFP, Dr. Ones Karuho,
Mr. Abradu-Otoo told the meeting a national food reserve acts as a buffer against price fluctuations, provides a safety net during crises, and supports farmers and consumers.
“By stabilizing food prices, reserves contribute to overall economic stability and reduce the risk of food-related social unrest”, he remarked.
The National Coordinator of the Feed Ghana Programme, Mr. Bright Demordzi said the NAFCO will play a critical role in government’s Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) hence the commitment of funds to restock the national food reserve.
The Regional Procurement Officer of WFP in Dakar, Mr. Wambui Mbugna and the Regional Supply Chain Officer, Mr. Nuru Jumaine reiterated the commitment by WFP to assist NAFCO in reviving its national food reserve, saying “It is our desire to see Africans feed Africans”.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer Of NAFCO, Mr. Osmond Amuah said a strong and fortified food reserve in Ghana will strengthen the overall food security situation in the subregion.