Accra, Feb. 28, GNA – Mr Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, has assured smallholder farmers across the country of his willingness to work with them to reset the country’s agricultural sector for economic growth and transformation.
He said the government had proposed various initiatives with a focus on increasing productivity, food security and improving farmers’ incomes and livelihoods.
The Minister gave the assurance when the Board, Management and some Members of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) paid a courtesy call on him at his office.
Mr Opoku said key among these initiatives include the “irrigation for wealth creation programme”, which would be implemented across eight regions in the country targeting between 10,000 and 25,000 hectares of irrigable land.
He said the ministry’s priority was to secure funding for the Pwalugu multi-purpose dam project.
On enhancing access to inputs and services, he said the government would be establishing farmer service centres across the country to provide inputs such as seeds, fertilizer and agrochemicals as well as advisory and production services to farmers.
He emphasised the critical role PFAG could play in that regard, saying “PFAG can play a role in partnering with the government to provide inputs through the proposed centres.”
He announced that the ministry had in its possession some machinery, which was available at subsidized rates for farmers and farmer groups and encouraged PFAG and other farmer groups to apply for a 60 per cent subsidy component.
The Minister said the ministry would work closely with the Ministry of Roads and Highways to construct feeder roads connecting food-producing communities to markets to reduce food price hikes.
He said the government was collaborating with private processing companies to set up mini-processing centres at locations producing perishable food crops.
He said there had been a proposal to roll out the Ghana Agricultural Insurance Scheme through subsidies to provide insurance for the activities of smallholder farmers to improve their access to credit.
He encouraged farmers to form cooperatives to strengthen their agency allowing them to access loans for agricultural purposes.
The Minister said the Ministry was liaising with other ministries to tackle the menace of illegal mining and its effect on food production and security.
“l am ever ready to work with you, you should also build the confidence and hope in me to work together because my principle as a minister is to contribute to ensuring food is sufficient in the country and my doors are open to you to collaborate and partner in that direction,” he added.
The Members of the PFAG, led by the National President, Mr. Wepia Awal Adugwala, outlined critical areas of the sector requiring the ministry’s attention, including improving food production, food security and economic development.
Other areas are irrigation, market structures, boosting farmers’ access to productive inputs and financial resources to the stern fight against illegal mining to safeguard farmlands.
Mr. Bismark Owusu Nortey, the Acting Executive Director, assured the minister of their unwavering support and willingness to partner with the Ministry to meet the needs of smallholder farmers.
He appreciated the Minister’s effort to resolve the challenges faced by farmers in the country and reassured him of the Association’s support in achieving the goals and vision to ensure the country attains food sufficiency.
The National President, thereafter, presented proposals from PFAG to the minister with a pledge from the minister to scrutinise the document and consider recommendations to resolve the agriculture sector.
GNA