Agricultural expert warns illegal sand winning threatens food security
Mr Yahaya Abdul-Razak, an agricultural expert, has urged government authorities and key stakeholders to move decisively to stop illegal sand winning on smallholder farmlands, particularly in rural areas.
He noted that although national attention has been largely centred on illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, activities such as sand winning and stone quarrying were also causing severe damage and demanded immediate intervention “before they get out of hand.”
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Abdul-Razak cautioned that continued destruction of smallholder farms posed a serious threat to the country’s food security if strict enforcement measures were not implemented.
“If the government says we must produce our own food to feed the nation, then it must also take firm action against sand winning. If rural farmers lose their sources of livelihood, how can they produce and feed themselves?” he asked.
He explained that in many rural communities where agriculture served as the main means of survival, sand winning not only stripped farmers of income but also wiped out their long-term farming prospects.
“We must pay attention to this issue because it leads to the long-term loss of arable lands. If this continues unchecked, it may become as difficult to stop as galamsey,” he added.
Mr Abdul-Razak therefore called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the Environmental Protection Authority, and other actors within the agricultural value chain to take urgent steps to address the problem.
Source: GNA
