Govt. to launch major agric intervention next year

Government has announced a major agricultural intervention next year, to encourage the establishment of privately-owned small and large scale farms across the country, in a bid to ensure a food secure Ghana.

Under the initiative, dubbed ‘the bread basket concept,’ government will support farmers with appropriate farming technologies including improved seeds, fertilizers, subsidy on agricultural mechanized services, and irrigation systems.

At the first-ever National Farmers' Forum, which took place in Accra, the Vice-President John Mahama, disclosed that after the implementation of the intervention, people would be proud to be called farmers, stressing, "the perception that farmers are poor must not be made to stand."

The forum, which was a prelude to the 26th National Farmers' Day, brought together award winners of this year's celebration, stakeholders in agribusiness and policy makers, to interact and generate ideas that will be incorporated into the sector ministry's programmes.

The Vice-President stressed that it was the intention of government to "recapture the days when farmers were part of the rich in society and were held in very high esteem."

He said farming should no longer be done on subsistence basis, adding, the "days of the hoes and cutlasses are over, we need to apply technology and modernise agriculure in order to improve productivity."

He said as a result of the sound policies pursued by the government, the agricultural sector had succeeded largely in bringing down inflation and stabilising other economic indicators. Mr. Mahama gave the assurance that government would continue to improve access to credit.

He noted that food was going to be the strategic commodity in the future instead of oil and gas since the known oil and gas resources were becoming depleted in the world. "We, therefore, need to produce enough to feed ourselves and export the excess."

Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture said the forum would take the farmers through some aspects of lessons that they must know to improve their output.

He mentioned topics such as 'New trends in agricultural financing,' 'Farmer-based organisations in Agric. development: MOFA's experience,' ADB's special basket of services for the agriculture industry,' Effect of bush fires on agriculture in Ghana,' as some of the issues that would be discussed at the forum.

Mr. Stephen Kpordzih, Managing Director of the Agricultural Development Bank said ADB had positioned itself to lead in the design and implementation of collaboration and cooperation among key stakeholders in agriculture and development finance.

He said the essence was to improve on the entire value chain process, production, processing, and marketing of agriculture produce.

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Story: Irene Ata-Donto
29/11/10