The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has intensified efforts to ensure national food security and rural empowerment with the distribution of 500,000 dual-purpose Kuroiler birds to smallholder farmers, particularly women, single mothers, and persons with disabilities.
The initiative, launched under the Feed Ghana Programme (FGP), forms part of a broader strategy to promote climate-smart poultry production, improve household nutrition, and boost livelihoods in rural communities.
The Feed Ghana Programme, a flagship intervention of government, aims to achieve self-sufficiency in food and nutrition security through increased productivity, strengthened value chains, and job creation, especially for the youth and women.
Speaking at this year’s World Food Day celebration in Accra, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku said the theme for the Celebration, “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” aligns with government’s vision to achieve self-sufficiency in food and nutrition security.
He explained that the FGP, a flagship component of the government’s food systems agenda, was being implemented to increase productivity, strengthen value chains, and empower youth and women through sustainable agribusiness ventures.
Hon. Opoku disclosed that young people in 56 districts across six regions were currently undergoing training in digital agriculture, climate-smart farming, and financial literacy to prepare them to drive the next generation of agricultural innovation.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture, he said, was expanding mechanisation and irrigation infrastructure nationwide and establishing Farmers’ Service Centres in every region to provide inputs, machinery, and technical training to improve productivity.
“To ensure market stability and prevent food waste, the National Food Buffer Stock Company has begun purchasing surplus grains from farmers at guaranteed prices, while community-level warehouses and cold storage facilities are being established to minimise post-harvest losses,” the Minister underscored.
The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to building a resilient agricultural economy where no Ghanaian goes to bed hungry and every community has access to affordable, safe, and nutritious food.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Emilia Arthur,
underscored the crucial role of the fisheries sector in ensuring food and nutrition security.
She said the sector sustains the livelihood of over three million Ghanaians and provides about 60 per cent of the animal protein consumed nationwide.
Mrs Arthur noted that the Ministry had taken bold steps to enhance sustainability and productivity through the passage of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), which replaces Act 625, the development of the National Blue Economy Strategy, and Cabinet approval for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area at Greater Cape Three Points in the Western Region.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Country Representative, Ms Priya Gujadhur, said this year’s celebration was significant as it coincides with FAO’s 80th anniversary.
Over the decades, she said, FAO had worked with member states, including Ghana, to eradicate diseases such as rinderpest, improve global food safety standards, and promote resilience through sustainable agriculture.
She reaffirmed FAO’s continuous collaboration with Ghana in promoting sustainable cocoa agroforestry, fisheries and aquaculture development, food-based dietary guidelines, and climate-smart agriculture.
“As FAO turns 80, we reaffirm our commitment to work hand in hand with Ghana to accelerate progress towards zero hunger, ensure decent livelihoods for farmers, and protect our environment for generations to come,” Ms Gujadhur said.
Source: 3news.com
