By Paul Eduarko Richardson
Accra, July 19, GNA – Majority of farmers in Ghana have yet to receive farming inputs under the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme.
Mr. Wepia Awal Adugwala, National President, Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), disclosed this in Accra during a validation workshop for a study conducted on the PFJ Phase II.
According to the PFAG research, which was supported by Oxfam and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), 80 per cent of farmers had not registered under the PFJ II as of June 2024, with only five per cent successfully registering and having their farms mapped.
“As of June, we observed that around 80 per cent of the farmers have not been registered and their farms have not been mapped, which is a source of worry to us because the rainy season has started.
“If you go to many places, people are planting, they need the inputs to be able to grow food. So, this is a source of worry to us in the Association because our members are calling on us every day for the farm inputs.
“You go to the market; everybody is crying about the cost of food. And we need to be able to ensure that these inputs get to the farmers on time so that the food that we are going to grow will ensure that prices in the market are brought down for the benefit of everybody,” Mr. Adugwala said.
The PFJ II, which is a revised version of the PFJ I, specifically seeks to ensure food availability with 11 prioritised commodities, reduce inflation, promote import substitution, boost exports, create jobs, and ensure food security and resilience.
It operates on a digitised system, shifting from input subsidy to a zero-interest inputs credit system.
Present at the validation workshop were Regional Board Members of the PFAG, representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Civil Society Organisations, as well as other stakeholders.
Most of the PFAG Regional Board Members confirmed that their farmers had not received farm input.
They urged the Government to allocate more personnel to register the farmers and equip them with the necessary gadgets and proper motivation to speed up the registration process.
They called for an intensified educational campaign on the PFJ II for the farmers, especially on the terms and conditions of the programme.
Mr. Bob Adjakloe, Trainer, CropLife Ghana, warned farmers that certain persons might want to sell fake seeds and agrochemicals, and urged them to remain vigilant and report such individuals to the right authorities.
Mr. Eric Hudson Asamani, Greater Accra Regional Director of Agric, said the digital platform (www.ghaap.com) for the registration of farmers under the PFJ II was a game changer and encouraged farmers to get enrolled.
He emphasised that the platform was intended not only for farmers, but also for Aggregators, Input Dealers, Offtakers, District Extension Officers, Distribution Shops, and Warehouse Operators, and urged them to register.
A participant at the validation workshop suggested that the online platform include an audio application in local languages to assist non-English speaking farmers with the registration process.
GNA