President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said there has been overwhelming evidence that the performance of Government in pursuit of its agricultural modernisation and transformation agenda has been impressive.
“Our flagship programme, Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), with its focus on improving farm productivity, through the use of technology on farms, has succeeded in increasing our food security, and opened up new opportunities for diversifying our agricultural exports by promoting six (6) tree crops for future substantial foreign exchange earnings”, he pointed out.
President Akufo-Addo stated these at this year’s Farmers’ Day Celebration held in the Eastern Regional Capital, Koforidua on Friday.
A 43-year-old farmer from Juaben District in the Ashanti Region, Nana Yaw Sarpong Serebour, was adjudged the national best farmer.
He took home a cash prize of GH¢1,000,000 and two nights’ full board complimentary stay for two at the Peduase Valley Resort.
Serebour currently employs over 145 workers and has been farming for over 20 years.
Theme for celebration
President Akufo-Addo noted that the theme for this year’s celebration which is “Accelerating Agricultural Development Through Value Addition”, was most appropriate and timely.
Value addition, as a means of accelerating the development of agriculture, President Akufo-Addo noted, is one of the logical strategies for ensuring food security, and rightly so.
“I say this because of the perennial problem of post-harvest losses experienced in most countries, including Ghana.
“Since 2017, strategic interventions in the agriculture sector have emphasised value addition through the implementation of the One-District-One-Factory flagship programme by Government. It is instructive to note that one hundred and seventy-two (172) of the two hundred and ninety-six (296) factories to be established under the programme are agro-based, processing the rapidly increasing farm output of our farmers.
“Clearly, it is evident that Ghana has been put firmly on the track of value addition. Government appreciates fully that value addition is the one of the best ways to unlocking the huge potential of Ghana’s agriculture. Current developments in the country have reinforced the need to direct greater attention to promoting value addition.
“As a country, it is important to draw on very hard lessons from the impact of external factors on our food systems. Food prices in urban centres are unacceptably high.
“However, it is equally true that some internal factors are also contributing to the high prices. Government continues to evaluate the situation for appropriate action to be taken”, he stated.
Maize & rice production
President Akufo-Addo pointed out that in 2016, his government inherited production levels of 1.7 million metric tonnes of maize and 665,000 metric tons of rice. However, President Akufo-Addo revealed that under the PFJ, maize production reached 3.4 million tonnes by 2021 and rice increased to 1.2 million metric tonnes.
“The credit must go to our gallant farmers, fishers and value chain actors who embraced the PFJ policies, and leveraged the opportunities created by the enabling environment for agricultural development.
“By design, PFJ has targeted other sectors under agriculture with promising results. Under its Rearing for Food Jobs module, some one hundred and thirty-four thousand, four hundred (134,400) birds and small ruminants were distributed to one thousand, two hundred and fifty-four (1,254) beneficiaries in 2022 alone. In addition, nine hundred thousand (900,000) broiler day old chicks (chicken), together with nine hundred metric tons of feed and vaccines, have been contracted out for supply to farmers next year”, he added.
President Akufo-Addo said under the same livestock sector, government has released GH¢15.6 million as payment of compensation to farms affected by the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza.
“There is also support for disease surveillance, public awareness creation, capacity building and the procurement of motorbikes for operational activities to enhance early detection, prevention and disease management.
“As part of institutional strengthening for the Veterinary Services Directorate, five hundred and fifty (550) veterinary officers and allied staff have been recruited this year alone”, he assured.
Sterling performance
President Akufo-Addo said from an average of 3.8% in the 5-year period from 2012 to 2016, average annual growth nearly doubled to 6.3% in the period 2017 to 2021.
“In the most recent years, the sector growth increased strongly from 4.7% in 2019 to 7.4% in 2020 and 8.4% in 2021 – the highest annual performance in the Fourth Republic.
“This sterling performance compares with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme’s (CAADP) benchmark target of 6% growth of agriculture for the attainment of national food security.
“Ironically, the highest growth rates posted were in 2020 and 2021 when the COVID-19 Pandemic and other negative forces, such as climate change and outbreak of diseases, were impacting the sector”, President Akufo-Addo pointed out.
He indicated that going forward, Government will deepen investments in these areas, and build on the achievements so far through additional interventions.
Tree crops
President Akufo-Addo said the achievements of his government include the promotion of selected tree crops to diversify export earnings from the sector. “For more than a century, Ghana has relied heavily on cocoa for foreign exchange earnings, whilst the potential for several other tree crops remains untapped.
“By an Act of Parliament, the Tree Crop Development Authority was established in 2020, to coordinate and promote the development of six tree crops, namely cashew, rubber, oil palm, coconut, mango and shea.
“At maturity, these selected crops will have the combined potential of generating annually an additional twelve billion dollars ($12 billion) to supplement the annual two billion dollars ($2 billion) from cocoa”, President Akufo-Addo projected.
According to him, since the launch of the Tree Crop Development programme in 2018, several nurseries have been established with the participation of private sector.
“The Ministry, through the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), facilitated the provision of 2.7 million improved seedlings to some eleven thousand, one hundred (11,100) farmers during 2022 cropping season. I commend the District Assemblies for their participation in this effort, and I continue to urge our chiefs, land owners and prospective investors to leverage the opportunities created in the tree crop sub-sector”, he concluded.
