To boost agricultural production to feed the nation and provide raw material for agro-industry to create jobs, government will roll out the Feed Ghana Programme (FGP) in Techiman, Bono East Region next Friday.
This initiative will help implement all elements of the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) that was launched to drive the growth and modernisation of the agricultural sector.
It seeks to bolster agribusiness development, secure food availability, mitigate food inflation, increase export revenues, and generate sustainable job opportunities.
The initiative, to be launched by the President, John Dramani Mahama would help transform country’s agricultural sector, reduce import dependency, and boost both domestic production and exports.
Addressing the press yesterday in Accra, the Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr Eric Opoku, said the launch of the FGP was a significant step towards transforming the agricultural landscape and securing a prosperous future for farmers, communities, and the nation.
He stated that, the country’s agricultural sector was grappling with daunting challenges that jeopardise food security, economic stability, and overall national progress.
“The country’s heavy reliance on food imports, which totals over $2 billion per year, with poultry alone accounting for $300 million, places Ghana at risk of external market fluctuations and currency instability.”
This dependency, the minister said exacerbated food inflation, significantly affecting households and aggravating economic hardships for the most vulnerable populations.
Although blessed with abundant agricultural resources, the minister stressed that the country had struggled with production inefficiencies, lack of infrastructure, limited access to essential inputs, and weak integration within the agricultural value chain.
Additionally, he said smallholder farmers, who were the backbone of the agricultural workforce, were also encountering challenges such as barriers to mechanisation, difficulty in securing financing, and the absence of modern farming methods, therefore, hindering their ability to scale operations and meet the increasing market demands.
“Additionally, substantial post-harvest losses persist due to insufficient storage and processing facilities, poor transportation networks, and inefficient market connections,” he asserted.
To help address these issues, Mr Opoku underscored the government’s commitment to addressing the issues by launching AETA which would be followed by the launch of FGP to ensure food security, alleviate inflationary pressures on food prices, increase export potential, and support sustained economic growth in the long term.
According to the sector minister, FGP would feature key initiatives such as, advancement of SMART agriculture by launching the Farmers’ Service Centres across the country to deliver essential support services, including training, technical guidance, and market access and the establishment of farm banks.
Also Grains and Legumes Development Initiative to promote vital grains and legumes such as maize, rice, sorghum, and soyabean for consumption, agro-industry, and export opportunities, Vegetable Development Project (YƐREDUA) to among others provide technical assistance to urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers and advocate for home, school, and community gardening programmes.
Furthermore, he said it would also feature the Poultry Industry Revitalisation to initiate the ‘Poultry Farm to Table’ project to increase poultry production in partnership with Poultry Farmers Associations, promote the “Nkoko Nketenkete” programme.
Other features include, Livestock Development Initiative, Support for Institutional Farming, Feed the Industry Programme, Oil Palm Industry Development, Investment in Infrastructure and Agro-Production Enclaves, and Innovative Agricultural Financing.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
