New Warehouses Will Improve Grain Storage in Ghana

Feed the Future is co-financing the construction of 18 new 50-ton warehouses in Ghana’s three northern regions in order to lay the foundation for improved grain storage and sales. The project, a joint endeavor by USAID and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, also supports training for farmers on warehouse management.

Farmers receive training from the Ghana Grains Council, which has developed guidelines for receiving grain, checking for moisture and cleanliness, identifying pests, and fumigating and storing grain. The new warehouses have attracted the investment of local farmers and aggregators, who are sharing the cost of construction by contributing labor and land.

The warehouses will better enable nucleus farmers (those farmers who manage centralized facilities for crops) to contract with smallholders, who will then benefit from improved access to local markets, better prices for their crops, and enhanced access to inputs and extension services. Warehouses are also a key component of local infrastructure and contribute to Ghana’s long-term plan to develop a robust commodity exchange through a warehouse receipt system.