Farmers in Ghana's Nanton District are facing heavy post-harvest losses as severe road damage has left yams and vegetables rotting in fields only a few kilometers from markets. Heavy rains have washed away parts of the road connecting Batangyili and nearby communities, creating deep gullies and broken culverts that prevent vehicles from transporting produce.
The route once served as a key corridor for moving maize, yams, groundnuts, and vegetables from Batangyili, Sandu, Nanton Kurugu, and Neriguyili to markets. With transport now restricted, farmers are unable to move their crops during the main harvest period. "Most of us depend on farming for survival, but now it is difficult to ply this route. We are pleading with the authorities to help fix the road," said Gbanduli Lana, a farmer from Sandu.
Assemblyman for the Sandu Electoral Area, Abdulai Osman Tiyuniba, noted that the disruption has come at the peak of the harvest season. "This is the very time we are harvesting our farm produce, but the road linking our communities to the market has been cut off," he said, adding that residents also struggle to reach health facilities.
The impact extends beyond farm economics. With roads impassable, communities are isolated from schools, health centers, and markets. Pregnant women face delays reaching medical care, and children miss classes. The situation mirrors a wider national problem: Ghana's annual post-harvest losses are estimated at between US$1.9 billion and US$2 billion due to inadequate storage, logistics, and infrastructure.
District Chief Executive Rosina Zainab Abdul Rahman acknowledged the road challenges, saying the district faces "several developmental challenges, including the deplorable road network." She added, "We understand the frustration of our people, and I can assure you that the government is working to address the road challenges across the district."
However, many farmers say delays in repairs have left them with few options. The poor road has been deteriorating for years, with little maintenance before seasonal rains made it impassable. Some transporters who can still access the route charge high rates, further reducing farmers' returns. Others have abandoned attempts to move produce, leading to direct crop spoilage.
Local residents have urged the government to carry out emergency grading, culvert repairs, and surface restoration to make the road temporarily usable during the harvest season. Farmers warn that without urgent repairs, they may reduce planting in future seasons, deepening rural poverty and food insecurity.
For now, much of this year's harvest in Nanton remains stranded, reflecting a wider challenge of rural infrastructure maintenance that continues to undermine agricultural production across northern Ghana.
Source: News Ghana
