Irish pop star Ronan moved by the 'inhumanity' of trade injustice

Pop star Ronan Keating has returned from Ghana with Christian Aid angry at the injustice of the impact of international trade rules on poor farmers.

Ronan said he was determined to share the stories of the people he met in the fields and markets of Ghana, in the hope people will be inspired to campaign for trade justice.

In the paddy fields of Dawenya, an hour's drive from the capital Accra, Ronan met Ernestina Doku, a widow with three children. Despite the rich and fertile land, Ghanaian rice farmers are struggling to make a living. 'My husband died because rice could not sustain our family', Ernestina said. 'We had no money for medical bills and he died at home. Many rice farmers have been forced to leave the fields.'

Ernestina's life is made harder because IMF and World Bank rules prevent the Ghanaian government from supporting its farmers and restricting its imports from rich countries. Ernestina is not alone. Ronan met other farmers whose livelihoods are also under threat.

In Sunyani, Agatha Yumbia told Ronan how she struggles to support her elderly mother and extended family by selling chickens. However, her business simply can't compete with the cheap frozen chickens imported from Holland and Canada.

Ironically, while Agatha's government is forbidden from giving her financial aid to raise her chickens, those from abroad are heavily subsidised. 'We just want to take care of the children but our government is not allowed to help us' said Agatha.

The most moving moment for Ronan was meeting Kofi Eliasa who made a living as a tomato farmer. Now Kofi works a 12 hour day in the searing heat breaking stones in a quarry. On a good day he earns ?1 a day. 'I haven't eaten all day because I have no money to buy food.' Said Kofi. Ronan was moved to tears by what he saw. 'This quarry, this inhuman place, is what happens when trade doesn't work. These are farmers who cannot afford to work the land.'

'I've had an unbelievable life-changing experience in Ghana' Ronan said. 'My duty to the people I met to speak out about trade justice begins now that I'm back. Once people hear the message, I can't believe people will turn away'