A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr George Oduro, has stated that the government has engaged about 6,150 farmers under its ‘Planting for food and jobs programme’ in the Central Region.
According to him, the programme, whose implementation had begun across the country, would see the nation become self-sufficient in food production to feed the growing population, as well as enable farmers to generate more revenue from their hard work.
Crops to be cultivated under the agriculture programme include maize, rice, soya bean, sorghum, tomato, onion and pepper.
The deputy minister was in the region to assess the programme’s implementation processes in all of the region’s 20 districts.
As part of the visit, he interacted with district directors of agriculture and farmers in various communities to explain to them how the programme was expected to work.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic last Thursday, Mr Oduro said the programme had the objective of assisting farmers across the country to increase their output and produce enough for both domestic and foreign consumption.
He said he was motivated on his visits to note that the farmers had embraced the initiative put forth by the government to improve agricultural productivity, as well as the livelihoods of farmers.
He urged farmers who had not yet registered under the programme to do so because the programme had come to stay.
He also encouraged the district directors of agriculture to liaise with the Information Services Department and explain the benefits of the programme to those farmers who were yet to receive news of the programme in order to get more of them on board.
Marketing problem
According to Mr Oduro, the problem of availability of market for farmers’ produce had been addressed by the government, adding: “Government through private partnership will buy all that is produced for resale and the excess stored in warehouses across the country.“I assure all the farmers registered under the programme that no produce of theirs will go waste, and as such should not harbour any fears,” he said.
“I assure all the farmers registered under the programme that no produce of theirs will go waste, and as such should not harbour any fears,” he said. He furthermore appealed to the farmers to fully support the programme and ensure that it was successful.
He furthermore appealed to the farmers to fully support the programme and ensure that it was successful.He cautioned the district directors of agriculture not to politicise the programme, stressing that such a move would negatively affect its sustenance.
He cautioned the district directors of agriculture not to politicise the programme, stressing that such a move would negatively affect its sustenance.The Central Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Gershon Wodzrah, said the government had employed extension officers to assist registered farmers in their activities.
The Central Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Gershon Wodzrah, said the government had employed extension officers to assist registered farmers in their activities. He urged the farmers to adhere strictly to advice from extension officers as they worked to increase their crop yield at the end of the season.
He urged the farmers to adhere strictly to advice from extension officers as they worked to increase their crop yield at the end of the season.He called for more women participation in the programme because it had more men involved at the moment.
He called for more women participation in the programme because it had more men involved at the moment.The Municipal Chief Executive for Agona West, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, commended the government for the initiative and promised to make agriculture a top priority in planned activities of the municipal assembly.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Agona West, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, commended the government for the initiative and promised to make agriculture a top priority in planned activities of the municipal assembly.
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