Bryan Acheampong, Minister for Food and Agriculture
THE MINISTRY of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has said it has not approved the commercialization of the maize and soya products, which are reported to have been approved by the Ghana National Biosafety Authority (NBA) under the Biosafety Act 2011 (831).
The NBA is reported to have approved some 14 maize and soybean products to be used as food, feed and other industrial applications which have since led to some agitations by some commercial and small-scale farmers and aggregators in the country.
However, MoFA, in a statement stressed that it had not, through its National Variety Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC) of the National Seed Council (NSC), approved the said 14 maize and soybean seeds, insisting that they must not be used as seeds in Ghana.
“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has not, through its National Variety Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC) of the National Seed Council (NSC), approved the commercialization of the maize and soya products as approved by NBA.
Thus, these released products should not and must not be used as seeds in Ghana”, the statement said.
“MoFA remains committed to monitoring the utilization of these products in the country and encourages all stakeholders, including commercial and small-scale farmers, to adhere to the use of MoFA-approved (registered) seed varieties. This will help maintain the integrity of agricultural practices and ensure the well-being of both farmers and consumers in Ghana,” it added.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio