Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto
The Ministry of Agriculture has for the past years intensified its efforts towards achieving improved food security and creating job opportunities along the agricultural value chain.
Some of the initiatives taken include the introduction of climate resilient seeds, irrigation systems, weather technologies and farmer education.
The ministry has also implemented specific projects in collaboration with development partners aimed at reducing the vulnerability of farmers to climate change and other shocks.
According to the ministry, all the efforts are geared towards greening Ghana for food and jobs as well as achieving accelerated growth and transformation of the agriculture sector in an inclusive and sustainable manner.
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto disclosed this during a panel discussion at the 73rd New Year School and Conference being held at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.
He spoke on the sub theme “Greening Ghana for Food and Jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond”.
He said various interventions under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and other initiatives in the sector have integrated climate change in their design and implementation.
“Examples are the IFAD Climate Resilience component under GASIP, the African Development Bank conservation agriculture under SAPIP and the EU funded programme for resilience against climate change among others.
“Equally, the Planting for Export and Rural Development module, an initiative under the PFJ has far-reaching effects on greening Ghana for Food and Jobs in addition to the objective’s diversification of export and farmer incomes,” he added.
The minister indicated that under the module, job creation opportunities can be harnessed through land development, seedling production, planting, managing plantations and harvesting.
“For example, 23 million seedlings of selected tree crops have been raised in last three years and distributed.”
“Through its extension services MoFA provides awareness by educating farmers on reversing land degradation through sustainable practices,” he stressed.
He said the ministry also creates awareness on managing natural resources sustainably, adopting resilient methods for adaptation and mitigation of climate change and intensification methods for sustainable production.
He said over the years the combined effect of the specific interventions account substantially for improved food production and overall food security of the country.
By Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi