The President of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, during his State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) has disclosed that the government has launched the second phase of the acclaimed Plating for Food and Jobs (PFJ) agricultural policy.
The policy aims to improve agricultural yields while contributing to food security and creating employment for the youth. The new phase of the PFJ is projected to last for five years to ensure food self-sufficiency and resilience and also decrease the importation of staple foods.
“Strategic targets have been set for eleven (11) 21 priority products in the immediate term (September to December 2023), short term (year 2024), medium term (2025 -2026), and the long term (2027-2028). The selected products are maize, rice, soybean, sorghum, tomato, pepper, onion, cassava, yam, plantain and poultry”.
H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo
The President further detailed that estimates for the targeted priority products and food crops, except poultry, are encouraging as they exceeded the projected value for the year, 2024. He stressed that the poultry industry needs more attention and the government is working towards improving it.
He indicated that the government is committed to meeting the domestic production targets for poultry this year, 2024, and increasing production levels to reduce the importation of poultry. He specified that the government plans to achieve this through working in partnership with the private sector.
The President also stated that the government plans to engage more youth in agriculture. He asserted that agriculture would be attractive to the youth if the government succeeded in modernizing farming in all forms. He assured Ghanaians of the government’s preparedness to invest in modern agricultural machinery and equipment.
“Under the third and final tranche of the Brazilian More Food Programme, tractors with accompanying implements, power tillers with accessories, maize shellers, units of combine harvesters, and rice millers have been distributed to farmers, processors, and mechanization service providers on hire purchase arrangement”.
H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo
The President further assured that more machinery and equipment like tractors with matching implements, planters, boom sprayers, combine harvesters and corn pickers will be made available to farmers as well. He however did not state the arrangement for which these can be acquired by farmers.
Government To Create Agricultural Zones
Moreover, the President suggested that large-scale commercial farming is the ideal solution to Ghana’s need for food security and self-sufficiency. He detailed that the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) will focus on establishing Agricultural Zones to promote viable agriculture built on commercial principles.
Lauding the achievements of the PFJ project, the President disclosed that rice importation fell by 45% between 2021 and 2023. He emphasized that the Agricultural Zone project will meaningfully expand Ghana’s production capacity of staple crops like rice, soybean, maize, and tomato.
Accordingly, the President indicated that the Agriculture Zones will be established government-private partnerships. He specified that the government would provide irrigation systems, develop access roads, and provide electricity to ensure proper mechanization services.
The President revealed that the areas in which these Agricultural Zones will be established have already been earmarked. He listed these areas to include, the Afram Plains, Tsopoli, Kumawu, Nkoranza, and Krachi among others.
The President also promised to increase the price of cocoa in the next cocoa season. He indicated that the current increment in cocoa price from GH₵ 1,300 to GH₵ 1,800 per bag done by his government is the highest in fifty (50) years.
Moreover, the President boasted of the completion of twelve (12) coastal fish landing sites constructed by his government. These landing sites are in the Western Region – Axim, and Dixcove, Central Region –Moree, Mumford, Winneba, Senya Beraku, Gomoa Feteh, Otuam, and Mfantseman, Greater Accra Region – Teshie and Osu, and in Keta in the Volta Region.
Also, the President informed the public that the government installed fifty (50) premix fuel automated dispensers to help reduce the challenges fisher folks face in getting fuel for sailing.
The President also assured the public of its readiness to take decisive actions, to deliver substantial economic, and social projects for Ghana’s development.
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