Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has disclosed that the Agric Ministry of Ghana is working towards moving agriculture from smallholder, medium to large scale.
According to the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, doing so would attract financial institutions to the sector. The Deputy Minister noted that some financial institutions are reluctant to lend money to farmers because they perceive agriculture to be a risky venture.
“They would rather give the money to somebody to go to China to go and bring and sell or rather encourage people to go and buy treasury bills instead of investing in agriculture.”
Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo
Mr Addo attributed the phenomenon to the way agriculture is done in the country with inadequate irrigation schemes, dependence on weather and poor processing facilities. “We are trying… the Agriculture Development Bank ( ADB) and some other financial institutions are ready to come in. And we hope that they will really, live up to their words when we also do the needful” the Deputy Minister said.
Mr Addo commended all women in the agriculture sector for their immense support to the economy and for feeding the country.
Mr Addo made this known at the Second Edition of the Gathering of the Royals in Accra, Ghana. The program was organized by Agrihouse Foundation to strengthen the relationship between Queen Mothers and agribusiness in Ghana. The gathering comprised Queen Mothers who are farmers and drawn from the 16 regions of the country. In attendance were the agribusiness value chain players, policymakers, and development partners.
Miss Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, stressed that Queen Mothers are agents of change and influencers of growth. She noted that over the years the event has made key impacts, including the introduction of ‘One Household, One Garden’ initiative.
Miss Akosa indicated that there was training by the Organic Group Protectant ( OCP), one of the largest phosphate and fertiliser companies in communities with the Queen mothers as entry points.
The Executive Director applauded the Government and development partners for their contributions, while urging all stakeholders to play their roles effectively to enhance agribusiness in the country.
Problems Confronting the Agric Sector
That notwithstanding, Miss Akosa noted that there is still much to be done. The Director bemoaned the reliance on rain fed agriculture and noted that the majority of farmers are just waiting for the rains before they start planting. “That is a very sad and underperforming state of things. I think bringing irrigation solutions, training, finding ways to make these solutions accessible, hold huge potential”.
Another problem she identified was logistics and mechanization centers. “I’ve been in areas where the farmers don’t even own Wellington boots and are keen on renting them. I think if we created platforms where simple, yet appropriate, machinery as well as training is available, it could be profitable and impactful.”
Dr Dorothy Effah, Policy Officer, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), averred that one of the central goals of every developing country is to increase income through agriculture. She noted that communities must provide an enabling environment for women to thrive and to keep on participating in agricultural programmes.
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