Growing agric sector: Government outlines well-considered policies

The government is implementing several well-considered policies to grow the agricultural sector, including agro-processing, President John Dramani Mahama has said.

“This will be backed by a reliable power supply, to meet our country's needs while advancing exports to earn foreign exchange and strengthen our economy.

One of the policies, he said, was the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA), which would modernise agriculture, enhance agribusiness, ensure food security, lower food inflation, boost exports and create sustainable jobs.

The other, he said, was the Feed Ghana Programme, which sought to increase food production and reduce prices through projects such as the Grains Development Project, focusing on rice, maize and soya bean production, while the Vegetable Development Project would target crops such as tomatoes, onion and pepper.

President Mahama announced this last Thursday when he presented his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament.

Poultry import

He said the government’s poultry farm-to-table project, would eliminate poultry imports and increase local production.

The President expressed concern that Ghana imported 95 per cent of its poultry needs, costing over US$300 million annually.

“To reverse this trend, the government plans to revamp the poultry sector by investing in hatcheries, feed mills, processing and distribution, working towards eliminating poultry imports.

“The Nkoko nkitinkiti project will cover 55,000 households producing eggs and fresh poultry for the market and help reduce the $300 million we spend on importing chicken annually,” President Mahama emphasised.

Value addition

To strengthen the connection between agriculture and industry, President Mahama said the government would prioritise value addition, processing and distribution.

“This will position agriculture as a profitable and appealing activity, making it more attractive to young people.

“We will implement an AgriNext programme to facilitate access to land banks by young farmers, connect graduates with opportunities in the agricultural value chain, and promote greenhouse agriculture among the youth.

“This initiative will benefit approximately 30,000 young people,” the President told Parliament. 

Livestock
 

Speaking on the livestock sector, he said the government had developed a Livestock Development Project, which would address the country's reliance on imported meat.

He said the project would work by restocking breeder farms and increasing local livestock production, creating jobs and boosting self-sufficiency.

Mechanisation

The President observed that for years, access to mechanisation, quality seeds, fertilisers and extension services had been a major challenge for farmers.

To address this, President Mahama said the government would establish Farmer Service Centres in every agricultural district, ensuring that farmers would receive essential resources to improve productivity and efficiency.

Interventions in fishery sector

He said the government would implement strategic interventions to enhance productivity and sustainability in the fishery sector.

“Key among these initiatives is the continued enforcement of measures to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which threatens marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of our hardworking fisherfolk,” President Mahama said.

He said the government had intensified surveillance and monitoring operations, bolstered by the deployment of modern technology and strengthened collaboration with key stakeholders.

“In the last month, we have expanded the supply of subsidised premix fuel to support artisanal and industrial fishers, ensuring affordability and availability.

“We will also invest further in modern fish landing sites and cold storage facilities to improve post-harvest handling, reduce losses and enhance the quality of fish products,” the President said.

He said aquaculture development was a key focus of the government, giving the assurance that “We will provide financial and technical support to fish farmers, increasing local fish production and reducing our dependence on fish imports”.

“To increase value addition in the sector, we will encourage the establishment of fish processing facilities, create more jobs and boost exports.

“Our commitment to supporting women in fisheries remains steadfast as we implement programmes to empower female fish processors and traders with financial resources and capacity-building initiatives,” President Mahama reaffirmed.