MoFA launches fertiliser subsidy programme

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has launched the 2016 National Fertiliser Subsidy Programme (NFSP) which will be implementated through an electronic platform.

Introduced eight years ago, the NFSP enables smallholder farmers to have access to fertilisers and other farm inputs to help increase crop yield to boost food security in the country.

Since the introduction of the programme, the average rate of fertiliser application increased from eight kilogrammes per hectare in 2008 to 12 kilogrammes per hectare in 2015.

This year, the programme seeks to make 15 kilogrammes of fertiliser available each to farmers who will be registered onto the electronic agricultural platform by the MoFA.

Launch

Launching the programme in Accra on Friday, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, said  the programme was introduced to increase crop production and growth in the agricultural sector.

According to him, despite the challenges associated with the running of the programme, it has increased crop production and stability and ensured food security within the last six years.

“Data available also indicate that the average rate of fertiliser application has increased since the commencement of the subsidy programme, as a result of the increased rate of fertiliser use,” he indicated.

Organic fertiliser 

According to Alhaji Limuna, this year, the ministry intends to add organic fertilisers to the package this year because of the numerous benefits it offers crops and soil.

“Government, for the 2016 cropping season, has targeted to subsidise 180,000 granular fertilisers at a cost of GH¢120 million and GH¢18 for organic fertilisers respectively,” he stated.

“By doing these, the government is subsidising fertilisers at an average of 26 per cent,” the minister added.

Advice

Alhaji Limuna therefore advised farmers to make themselves available for the electronic registration exercise by agriculture extension officers who would be dispatched to the various districts in April.

Extension officers in all districts across the country have already been given smartphones to electronically register farmers onto the MoFA e-platform at no fees to ensure maximum reach, transparency and efficiency in the distribution process.

All that a farmer has to do after the registration is to go to the accredited distributor or retailer nearby for the necessary assistance.