Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, Mr Anthony Morrison, has raised concerns over the vast amount of irrigable agricultural land in Ghana that remains unused, warning that the country risks undermining its food security goals if urgent investments are not made.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, February 17, Morrison disclosed that more than one million hectares of land suitable for irrigation have not yet been developed.
He stressed that while Ghana has the natural resources and agricultural potential to meet domestic food demand, the lack of infrastructure, technology, and targeted investment continues to limit productivity.
Morrison argued that expanding irrigation systems would help stabilise food production throughout the year, reduce reliance on rain-fed farming, and improve yields across major crops.
He noted that the current situation leaves farmers vulnerable to erratic weather patterns and contributes to seasonal food shortages and rising prices.
He further called on the government to prioritise the involvement of young people in agriculture by providing them with modern irrigation equipment, machinery, and technical support.
According to him, empowering the youth with the right tools would not only boost productivity but also help address the ageing farmer population and make agriculture more attractive as a viable career path.
“We have what it takes to produce to meet the demand of the Ghanaian people, but the right investments must be made.
“As a country, our total irrigable land that is being utilised is about 235,000 hectares, meanwhile, we have over 1 million hectares of agricultural land that are not under irrigation.
“The government’s budget has plans to improve irrigation. This is the time to support the youth with irrigation technology and machinery to replace our overaged farmers.”
Credit-citibusiness
