The government of Ghana has been called upon to use data as a guide in the drafting and implementation of agriculture policies to bring about the needed development and impact on the livelihoods of Ghanaians.
The forum, which brought together researchers, civil society actors and policymakers, also discussed the use of science communication for policy through a data repository and advocacy system.
Policy advocates and researchers during the forum argued that, policies implemented by government in the Agric sector lacked the needed evidence-based information.
Dr Fred Dzanku, the Coordinator for the Data Repository and Advocacy for Policy (DARAP) project, disclosed that, collection of vital data was one important factor for decision-making. Without data there could not be any proper planning, he added.
“If you implement policies that are based on research, those policies are most likely to be impactful. I call for a stronger linkage between research, policy and implementation to drive Ghana’s agriculture development.
“Agriculture is perhaps the single most important sector that we think that, if we’re focused on, can drive our economic transformation and be able to dampen our inflationary pressures.”
Dr. Fred Dzanku
Dr. Dzanku called for the need to address the gap that existed in the way scientists and researchers communicated their findings to end users particularly, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), to engender policy influence in the sector.
Call For Stronger Collaboration
Dr Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey, a researcher with ISSER, heightened the call for Ghana to have a structural change in its agriculture policies to help address the pressures associated with the rise in the prices of goods and services, as well as economic challenges the country often faced.
According to her, the sector was still the top employer, its contribution to the national employment and economic growth in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has been declining since the 1960s, mainly due to its import-driven nature.
Dr. Dzifa Torvikey making reference to the Planting for Food and Jobs revealed that, the government had given 60.1 per cent to fertilizer, 20 per cent, seeds, with extension services having 9.6 per cent, while 1.3 per cent goes into marketing.
“We have focused more on fertilizers, which are import driven. What it means is that, we spend a chunk of our budget importing these fertilizers, hence, our monies do not remain in the country.
“I therefore call for a stronger collaboration between the government and stakeholders in the agriculture value chain to drive investment into the distribution, storage and processing sectors.”
Dr. Dzifa Torvikey
Dr Kofi Asante, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), also bemoaned the political economy of the agri-food systems in Ghana that gives little or no support to smallholder farmers.
Dr. Asante said that, though smallholder farmers dominate the sector, they continue to face constraints to upscale due to the low use of improved inputs and mechanization.
Dr Kofi Asante pleaded with government to assist the Agric sector with an integrated system, backed by evidence to inform policy implementation.
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