President Nana Akufo-Addo
The Akufo-Addo-led government is set to launch a national campaign to encourage all citizens in urban and rural areas to take up farming as full time or part-time activity.
Minister-designate for Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, who announced this yesterday, said the initiative, dubbed ‘Planting for food and jobs’ campaign, would be structured along the lines of the infamous ‘Operation feed yourself’ programme adopted in the 1970s by the then Acheampong military regime to develop self-reliance in agriculture at the time.
He made the disclosure at the launch of the 68th edition of the annual new year school put together by the School of Continuing Education and Distance Learning of the University of Ghana (U-G) College of Education under the theme, ‘Promoting national development through agricultural modernization; the role of ICT’.
It was chaired by Professor Ebenezer Oduro-Owusu, Vice Chancellor of the University.
Speaking at the event, Dr Afriyie-Akoto, an agric economist, indicated that “the agricultural sector of our country has not performed well in recent years.”
He revealed that “in the past eight years, the annual rate of growth of the agricultural sector has declined from 7.4 percent in 2008 to 2.4 percent in 2015, and this is well below the six percent annual growth target as set out in the Maputo Declaration of 2003.”
Policy
That, he said, was part of the reason for adopting the ‘Planting for food and jobs’ campaign.
In 2017, it would focus on the production of maize, rice, soybean, sorghum and vegetables.
Other crops are expected to be adopted in subsequent years with the provision of improved seeds, supply of fertilizers, provision of dedicated extension service, marketing and e-agriculture.
“In urban areas, production of vegetables will be promoted in backyard gardens and open spaces. Government institutions and private companies like breweries and food processors will be encouraged to invest in plantations for food and raw material production. Prisons, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities will be given incentives to establish their own farms,” he revealed.
Strategy
“To that effect, all citizens will be persuaded to see it as a national duty to cultivate a crop or two to support the change that triumphed on 7th December 2016.
The Minister-designate indicated that “the District Assemblies will be tasked to identify and register progressive farmers in each of the 216 districts while selected farmers will be supported with subsidized improved seeds, fertilizers and extension services.”
He further noted that “to ensure that adequate quantities of improved seeds are made available for the campaign in the coming 2017 planting season, the Grains and Legumes Development Board (GLDB), as the certified growers, will be assisted to deliver supplies to participating farmers.
“Where necessary, provision will be made to import improved hybrid seeds to supplement local supplies.”
Dr Afriyie-Akoto therefore appealed to all Ghanaians to as it were “roll up their sleeves and put their shoulders to the wheel for rapid agricultural growth starting with the coming farming season beginning March-April 2017.
Presidential backing
President Akufo-Addo, who endorsed the initiative, said “I endorse fully the campaign for ‘Planting for food and jobs that he has unveiled this morning; I believe it will be the beginning of the initiative that will address rural youth employment.
He said even though agriculture is the anchor of the Ghanaian economy and employs almost half of the country’s entire workforce, growth in the sector has declined dramatically, with food becoming ‘unnecessarily expensive’ in a country blessed with fertile land.
Vision
He outlined his government’s vision for the next four years to modernize agriculture, improve production efficiency, achieve food security and profitability for farmers to increase agricultural productivity.
“Government will pursue a value addition strategy aimed at rapidly romping up agro-processing and developing new and stable markets for our products,” he said.
Confidence
“I am confident that this forum is a big step in the right direction towards the establishment of a cycle of initiatives and actions that will make the country’s agriculture sector more productive, durable and smart for the benefit of our long suffering but hard working farmers in particular and the country as a whole,” he noted with optimism.
He expressed hope that Dr Afriyie-Akoto would follow in the footsteps of former Prime Minister Busia’s famous Minister for Agriculture, Kwame Sarfo-Adu, to design and implement programmes and policies that will lead to a rapid revival and development of the agric sector in the country.
From Charles Takyi-Boadu, Flagstaff House