The usage of certified seed under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) has increased significantly from 4,400 tonnes in 2017 to over 18,000 tonnes in 2019.
This was revealed in Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto’s speech, the Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, which was read on his behalf by the Director of Crop Services at Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Seth Osei Akoto, during a validation workshop in Accra on a five-year strategic plan (2024) for the Ghana Fertilizer Expansion Programme (GFEP).
The workshop which is the third after similar ones in Tamale and Kumasi was to get the input of stakeholders to finalize the strategic plan on fertilizer usage for improved productivity, food and nutrition security and job creation. It was organized by MOFA with sponsorship from the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Dr. Akoto indicated in his speech that the usage of fertilizer under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative has increased significantly from 121,000 tonnes in 2016 to over 400,000 tonnes in 2019. The national fertilizer use per hectare also increased from an average of eight kilograms (kg) per hectare in 2017 to an average of 20kg per hectare in 2019.
“Two of the key pillars under the Food Crop Module of the PFJ is the promotion in the use of improved seeds (notably hybrid seeds) and improvement in fertilizer application. It is interesting to note that fertilizer consumption is more than four times the quantity supplied at the beginning of the PFJ initiative.”
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto
According to Dr. Akoto’s speech, there had been significant yield increases recorded for selected crops since the roll out of PFJ. For instance, maize yields had increased by 67% from 1.8 tonnes per hectare to three tonnes per hectare. Rice yields increased by 48% from 2.7 tonnes per hectare to four tonnes per hectare, while soya yields also increased by 150 per cent from one tonne per hectare to 2.5 tonnes per hectare.
On the fertilizer expansion programme, Dr. Akoto said its objective was to develop the fertiliser industrial sector, including the establishment of the first fertiliser manufacturing plant in the Western Region. It was also to optimise the entire fertiliser value chain through improved agronomic services, training, farmer education and development of soil fertility maps and formulae to customize fertiliser application, he said.
With the existence of natural gas in the country, Dr. Akoto’s speech indicated that it is important to ensure maximum investment in local fertilizer production to reduce Ghana’s dependence on fertiliser importation.
“The justification for the Ghana Fertilizer Expansion Programme is very simple. Ghana has locally abundant natural gas resources. However, our natural gas is exported as raw materials for fertilizer production overseas, leading to subsequent importation of fertilizers back into the country.”
Mr. Seth Osei Akoto, on behalf of the Minister- Designate for MoFA
The Technical Adviser on Agriculture at the Office of the President, Nana Serwaa Amoako, said the investment in initiatives by the government to improve the agricultural sector was to create better conditions for smallholder farmers.
The Head of AGRA West Africa, Mr Foster Boateng, said the agenda of the development partners was for effective collaboration between the government and smallholder farmers. According to him, building the capacity of the smallholder farmer would drive and increase productivity.
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