By Benjamin Adamafio Commey, GNA
Accra, June 21, GNA – Agricultural students from 18 colleges, farming institutes and universities across Ghana have recommended a range of innovative measures to enhance the Government’s Feed Ghana Programme and the Farmer Service Centre (FSC) Initiative .
The recommendations were made during the Ninth Agrihouse Foundation Agricultural Students Bootcamp in Accra.
Developed after extensive research and presented to officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the proposals focused on improving the sustainability, accessibility and impact of the Government’s flagship agricultural interventions.
Among the key proposals was the establishment of cooperative harvest registration systems to encourage farmers to operate through cooperatives and farmer groups.
The students said that would enable farmers to access inputs and services while repaying support after harvest with produce.
They also advocated stronger cooperative structures for women farmers, greater farmer ownership of FSCs and increased private sector participation, with government maintaining a regulatory role to protect farmers’ interests and ensure operational efficiency.
To improve service delivery, the students recommended the adoption of digital technologies, including mobile applications, call centres and USSD platforms, to connect farmers with extension services, agricultural experts and mechanisation services such as tractors, combine harvesters, drones and sensors.
They noted that such technologies would be particularly beneficial for farmers in remote communities and those without internet access.
Another major recommendation was the introduction of an “FSC Plus” model, which would transform Farmer Service Centres into year-round agribusiness hubs.
The proposed model would provide integrated services including input supply, mechanisation, storage, processing, market access, financial services and extension support.
It would also feature loyalty and membership programmes, aggregation and marketing services, youth-led delivery systems and dedicated financing mechanisms to improve sustainability and reduce reliance on public funding.
Ms Alberta Akyaa Akosa, Team Lead of Agrihouse Foundation, said the bootcamp’s focus on policy engagement was inspired by the observation that many young people were unfamiliar with Government agricultural programmes despite information being publicly available.
She said the initiative aimed to help young people better understand those interventions, contribute ideas to improve them and take ownership of national agricultural policies to ensure continuity beyond political transitions.
Ms Akosa disclosed that Agrihouse Foundation would compile a report on the students’ proposals and submit it to the relevant authorities while monitoring progress on implementation.
Mr Bright Demordzi, National Coordinator of the Feed Ghana Programme, described the bootcamp as an important platform for fostering collaboration between policymakers and young people in addressing challenges within the agricultural sector.
He said the initiative aligned with the Government’s agricultural transformation agenda by promoting food production, market access, value addition and employment opportunities for youth and women.
Mr Peter Nuhu, Coordinator of the FSC Initiative, commended the engagement with agricultural students, stressing that attracting and retaining young people in agriculture was critical to addressing Ghana’s ageing farming population.
He noted that students represented the next generation of agricultural professionals, researchers and extension officers whose ideas and participation would be essential to the long-term success of the Feed Ghana Programme and the Farmer Service Centre Initiative.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Benjamin Adamafio Commey
[email protected]