Rapid expansion in Ghana’s real estate sector is intensifying pressure on agricultural lands, posing a serious threat to the country’s livestock self sufficiency, a cattle farmer has warned. The conversion of grazing lands into residential estates has become a critical problem for farmers practicing extensive livestock production, especially in the Greater Accra Region.
Mr Yussif Adamu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FAIDIJA Farms, said in an interview that the situation has reached alarming levels. Research from the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) Water, Land and Ecosystems programme indicates Ghana’s urban footprint has grown by more than 150 percent in recent decades, absorbing large areas traditionally reserved for farming.
“Almost all the lands are being sold out now to estate developers,” Mr Adamu stated. He explained that the continuous loss of communal grazing corridors is forcing farmers to move long distances with their herds, often sparking tensions with local communities.
The situation is compounded by rising feed costs, according to the livestock farmer. A truckload of brewery chaff or fruit residue, feed supplements commonly used by livestock farmers, now costs up to GH¢2,000 yet sustains only 10 cattle for about two weeks. This represents a significant financial burden for smallholder farmers trying to maintain viable operations.
Mr Adamu called for a national shift toward semi intensive livestock production, supported by government supplied high yield fodder seeds. He noted this practice is widely used in countries with strong livestock industries and could help address both land scarcity and feed cost challenges.
“The combined pressures of land scarcity and escalating feed costs are driving people out of livestock farming, leading to a massive supply deficit,” he said. Ghana’s domestic livestock production remains unable to meet national demand, with most cattle being supplied to markets from Nigeria, Togo, and Burkina Faso.
Data from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture shows that Ghana’s self sufficiency in beef stands at approximately 30 percent, leaving roughly 70 percent of demand to be filled through imports. This heavy reliance on imported livestock products represents a significant drain on foreign exchange and exposes the economy to regional supply disruptions.
Analysts warn that this dependency also leaves Ghana vulnerable to unpredictable price surges whenever supply chains are disrupted by political instability, climate events, or trade restrictions in neighboring countries. The livestock sector’s contribution to agricultural GDP has witnessed a gradual decline over the years, from 12.60 percent in 2014 to 8.31 percent in 2020.
The real estate sector’s growth has been particularly pronounced in urban and peri urban areas where livestock farming was previously common. Property developers are attracted to these areas due to their proximity to cities and improving infrastructure, which drives up land values and makes farming increasingly uneconomical.
According to real estate market reports, Ghana’s urban expansion is being driven by rapid urbanization, a growing middle class, and increased foreign investment. Residential building permits increased by 15 percent year over year in 2024, with commercial property values in major urban centers like Accra and Kumasi jumping by an average of 12 percent.
Mr Adamu urged government to establish protected grazing zones and invest in livestock friendly infrastructure to safeguard the sector. He emphasized that without designated grazing reserves, traditional extensive livestock farming systems will continue to decline, pushing more farmers out of business.
He also called on stakeholders to support the transition to more sustainable, land efficient farming systems that can operate effectively within Ghana’s changing land use landscape. Semi intensive systems, which combine controlled grazing with supplementary feeding, could allow farmers to maintain productivity on smaller land parcels.
The livestock farmer cautioned that without swift intervention, Ghana’s reliance on imported livestock will continue to rise, undermining national food security and weakening the country’s economic resilience. This situation contradicts government efforts to achieve greater food self sufficiency under initiatives like the Feed Ghana Programme.
The Feed Ghana Programme, launched in April 2025, aims to boost agricultural production and reduce Ghana’s heavy dependence on food imports. The country currently spends approximately $2.5 billion annually on food imports, with meat products accounting for a substantial portion of this expenditure.
Ghana currently imports over 240,000 metric tons of meat annually, including chicken, beef and other products, costing the country over $375 million each year. The government has announced ambitious targets to raise poultry self sufficiency from 12 percent to more than 75 percent by 2028, but similar concrete targets for beef and other livestock remain unclear.
Experts note that addressing the land competition issue requires coordinated action between multiple government agencies, including the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and local planning authorities. Some have called for stricter enforcement of land zoning regulations to protect prime agricultural lands from conversion.
The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) has indicated that its three tier planning system is designed to help stakeholders plan for land zoning and segregation, preventing all productive lands from being lost to real estate development. However, implementation and enforcement remain ongoing challenges.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
