By Joseph Agrace Wiyorbie
Wa, (UW/R), March 24, GNA – Mr Charles Lwanga Puozuing, the Upper West Regional Minister has said Investment in agriculture was a crucial step towards achieving sustainable economic development.
He emphasized that agriculture was the driving force behind national development, and it is essential for stakeholders to prioritize the sector to ensure sustainable growth and food security.
The Regional Minister said this during the closing ceremony of the Market-Oriented Agriculture Programme in North West Ghana (MOAP-NW), in Wa.
The Minister recognized the programme’s significant impact on the region’s agricultural landscape over the past eight years and reiterated his commitment to replicating MOAP-NW intervention to achieve a desirable sustainable economic development in the region.
He said the intervention of Market Oriented Agriculture Programme (MOAP) seamless aligned with the agricultural transformation agenda of the government of Ghana, reinforcing the sustainability and impact of MOAP-NW initiative.
He reaffirmed his dedication to working in collaboration with the president to build a sustainable and inclusive agricultural sector that not only ensures food security but also drives economic growth and prosperity in the region and beyond.
“As we commemorate the successful implementation of this programme, the question of sustainability remains paramount,” the Minister added.
He, however, said the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), in collaboration with MMDAs were committed to integrating MOAP-NW’s best practices into the existing agricultural policies and programmes.
He expressed gratitude to partners Gescllschaft International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the European Union (EU), and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for their resilient contributions to MOAP-NW’s success in the 14 beneficial districts in the country.
Madam Paulina Rozycka, Head of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, the European Union’s Delegation to Ghana expressed gratitude to all partners and stakeholders of the MOAP-NW.
She stressed that MOAP-NW interventions lay a solid foundation with the new government’s focus on commercial agricultural development, especially in the Northern Ghana.
She emphasized that MOAP’s intervention would increase incomes of farmees as well as help farmers to meet market demands and foster local economic development through community and private sector investment.
She emphasized that this initiative would continue to support farmers’ productivity and efficiency, by ensuring that they had access to essential services and resources even after the Market Oriented Agriculture Programme in North West (MOAP-NW) ends.
GNA
CAE/KOA