The Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon.Yaw Frimpong Addo, has noted that while agri-financing remains a challenge, government is committed to working with stakeholders to bring positive changes to the issue.
He said it is quite unfortunate that pushing adequate financing into the sector has been a daunting task for most agricultural ministers over the years.
However, he said, with all hands-on deck to gather and sustain the momentum in the agric sector, the country is bound to see propelling growth and development of the agricultural sector.
The Deputy Minister made these comments at the recent Gathering of the Royals event, organized by Agrihouse Foundation in Accra, on the theme, “Championing Agri-growth through our Queen Mothers – The Agri booster Module.”
which aims to strengthen working relationships and collaborative efforts among queen mothers, traditional leaders and stakeholders in the fields of Academia, policy, Government, development agencies and Agric institutions.
Touching on government efforts in the sector, he said the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme has allowed for a 50% subsidy on citified seeds and fertilizers to over 1.5 million farmers since the introduction of the intervention.
The programme, he noted, has also allowed for the establishment of greenhouse villages at Dawhanye in the Greater Accra region, Bawjuasi in the Central region and Akim Oda in the Ashanti region as part of effort to modernize Ghana’s agriculture through the production of high value vegetables and food crops for export and the domestic market.
Adding that the establishment of mechanization centers throughout the country, provides needed services to farmers to ease frustrations associated with the obsolete method of production.
He further explained that, these interventions of government in the agriculture sector should give us hope because they provide enormous opportunities for venturing into agriculture as a viable business enterprise, particularly for the unemployed,” he noted.
He praised Agrihouse Foundation for investing in Gathering of the Royals, which compliments government efforts in the improvement of agricultural sector.
