Peasant farmers warn Ghana’s $3.5bn food import bill could rise over galamsey

Peasant farmers are warning that Ghana’s annual food import bill of over $3.5 billion could climb even higher if government fails to take stronger action against illegal mining.

Their concerns follow a new study by Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which revealed widespread contamination from mercury, arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals across artisanal and small-scale gold mining areas. The findings pose grave risks to both public health and food security.

Speaking to Citi Business News, the Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Bismark Nortey, cautioned that the country’s food import costs may escalate further if farmlands and water sources are not safeguarded.

“I urge all ministries and government agencies responsible to use this report as a benchmark to protect our farmers. If the situation continues and farmers are forced to abandon production, the impact on our nation will be catastrophic.

The current amount we spend on food imports, which we have already complained about, could escalate even more if nothing is done—especially as Ghanaian consumers become increasingly cautious about the safety of locally produced food,” he said.

The year-long study titled, Mercury and Other Heavy Metals Impact Assessment, conducted from August 2024 to September 2025 by Pure Earth in collaboration with the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), examined soil, water, air, fish, and food crops in six regions: Ashanti, Eastern, Central, Western, Western North, and Savannah.

In Konongo Zongo (Ashanti Region), mercury levels in soil reached 1,342 ppm, over 130 times the safe limit. Airborne mercury at Wassa Kayianko (Western Region) peaked at 150 μg/m³, 150 times above Ghana’s permissible level.

Dangerous arsenic levels were found in nearly all regions. Soil in Konongo Zongo recorded 10,060 ppm, 4000% above safe levels, while water in Konongo Odumase showed concentrations of 3.3 mg/L, vastly exceeding drinking water standards.

Lead concentrations in fish from Akwaboso (Central Region) and Konongo Zongo surpassed WHO safety limits, with some samples reaching 2.8 mg/kg. Vegetables such as pumpkin leaves in the Western North also showed lead levels as high as 3.1 mg/kg.

Mercury, arsenic, and lead were detected in kontomire, tomatoes, cereals, legumes, and tubers, with some values well above international food safety thresholds.

Several boreholes and streams used for drinking water were contaminated, with lead and arsenic levels exceeding WHO guidelines, posing a direct risk to community health.

The study warns that residents, especially in mining communities, face chronic exposure through multiple routes — inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact — with potential long-term effects on the nervous system, kidneys, and child development.

The researchers propose urgent multi-sectoral action, including remediation pilots in hotspots like Konongo Zongo using low-cost technologies such as phytoremediation.