Traditional leaders, farmers, and traders in Fiaso, a prominent yam-producing community in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region, are appealing to the government and private investors to support the construction of a yam storage facility in the area. The call comes as the community marks the official start of the 2025 yam harvesting season.
Fiaso is renowned for being one of Ghana’s earliest and largest producers of yam, attracting thousands of buyers from across the country during its bumper harvest. However, the lack of proper storage facilities poses a significant challenge, with large quantities of yam often going to waste.
At a brief ceremony to perform traditional rites and pour libation to mark the opening of the harvest season, the Chief of Fiaso, Nana Kwadwo Ameyaw II, expressed concern over the recurring losses farmers face due to post-harvest spoilage.
“It is disheartening to see our hardworking farmers lose thousands of yam tubers simply because we don’t have the means to store or preserve them properly,” he stated.
Nana Ameyaw also highlighted the absence of a proper marketplace, noting that many farmers are forced to sell their produce by the roadside, a situation he warned could potentially lead to accidents or other hazards.
Some traders and residents echoed the chief’s concerns and urged visiting buyers to offer fair prices, stressing the hard labor involved in producing high-quality yams. They warned against exploitation by middlemen from urban centers and called for more equitable trade practices.
The community hopes that with timely intervention, especially through investment in storage and market infrastructure, farmers in Fiaso will be able to reduce post-harvest losses and improve their livelihoods.
