ECONOMIC HARDSHIP DRIVING SOME FARMERS TOWARDS CANNABIS CULTIVATION IN GBI WEGBE

 A LEVEL 300 PRODUCTION BY ATORKUI JONES

                                                    A picture of Gbi Wegbe township

Economic challenges facing farmers in Gbi Wegbe, a farming community in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region, are reportedly pushing some residents to abandon traditional crop farming in favour of cultivating cannabis, an illegal but more lucrative crop.

Residents and local observers say declining returns from food crops such as maize, cassava, yam and vegetables, coupled with rising production costs, have left many farmers struggling to make ends meet. Some claim that the promise of higher profits from cannabis cultivation has become an attractive alternative despite the legal risks involved. A farmer, who requested anonymity for fear of prosecution, said income from conventional farming has become increasingly unreliable due to fluctuating market prices, high costs of fertilizers and transportation, and unpredictable weather conditions

“After spending months on food crops, you sometimes make very little profit. Some people believe cannabis brings in more money within a shorter period,” the farmer said.

Community members expressed concern that the trend, if confirmed, could undermine food production and expose young people to criminal activities. They fear that as more farmland is allegedly diverted from food crops to cannabis cultivation, the community’s agricultural base could be weakened Agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood in Gbi Wegbe, with many households depending on crop farming for both income and food security.

Some residents believe these economic pressures are creating conditions that make illegal activities appear financially rewarding. They argue that improving market access and providing government support to farmers could help discourage such practices.Security agencies have on several occasions carried out operations against illegal cannabis farms in different parts of the country

                                     

Local farmers  harvesting cannabis

                                    

Officials have repeatedly warned that the cultivation, possession and trafficking of cannabis without legal authorisation remain offences under Ghanaian law. Local opinion leaders are therefore calling for a balanced response that combines law enforcement with measures to address the underlying economic challenges confronting rural farmers. They say investments in agricultural extension services, affordable farm inputs, irrigation and guaranteed markets for produce would make legitimate farming more profitable.

Cannabis left to dry

As concerns continue to grow, stakeholders believe the situation highlights the broader difficulties facing farming communities across Ghana, where many producers struggle to earn sustainable incomes despite agriculture’s critical role in the national economy.Whether the reported shift in Gbi Wegbe reflects an isolated development or part of a wider trend remains unclear. However, residents agree that improving the profitability of legal agriculture is essential to safeguarding livelihoods, food security and the future of the community.