Gov’t Will Still Prioritize Agriculture - E/R Minister 

The Eastern Regional Minister, Hon Seth Kwame Acheampong has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritize the agricultural sector of the country’s economy to improve food security, create employment opportunities and reduce poverty.

This, he opined was evident in the rollout and subsequent implementation of several agricultural flagship programs, such as Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), Rearing for Food and Jobs, (RFJ), Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), Food Farms for Schools (FOFAS), the establishment of greenhouse villages and construction of warehouses (minimum capacities of One Thousand Metric tonnes) in several locations across the region, at Anyeboni and Asesewa in Upper Manya Krobo, Kwahu South Municipality and Obuoho in Fanteakwa North District.

He said this at the Agricultural Joint Sector review meeting in Koforidua where stakeholders in the agricultural value chains within the Eastern region were allowed to deliberate on critical issues to Agricultural Development in the Region.

He also expressed his profound gratitude to farmers, agro-processors, market women, input dealers, food vendors, and all actors along the food value chain for the immense role they have played to ensure the availability of food in the country especially in this period of a global pandemic.

He added that at the peak of the pandemic when most workers were asked to stay home and some cities were under lockdown, gallant farmers continued to produce food and ensured that the region and the country as a whole were not plunged into a dire situation of hunger and hopelessness.

He however cautioned that the pandemic was still with us and urged everyone to continue to observe the protocols and ensure compliance at the various places of work.

Speaking on the theme “Consolidating the gains of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) in the wake of COVID 19.” Hon Acheampong said, since its inception in 2017, PFJ has made significant gains in the economy until the emergence of the global pandemic.

The devastating effects of the pandemic in the agricultural sector worldwide, he said has been identified by some reports as having impacted household incomes, nutrition, and food security and urged them to employ measures that would ensure that the successes chalked in Ghana during the heat of the pandemic were maintained.

Hon Acheampong said Eastern Region was blessed with diverse and abundant natural resources which when harnessed with entrepreneurial innovations and strong linkages into the agriculture value chain business, would provide for us, a comparative advantage by way of ensuring employment to the teeming youth, affirming that farming should be seen as a business and a solution to unemployment.

The Eastern Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, Mr Henry Crentsil indicated that the department has facilitated the development of commodity satellite markets in the region to deal with post-harvest losses, improve value additions and ensure that quality, healthy and safe foods reach the market at a competitive price.

He said through this enviable initiative, over 9000 smallholder farmers have been directly linked to these satellite markets thereby creating jobs and making life better for them.

Present at the program was the Hon Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Samuel Donkor, the regional director of Agriculture, Henry K. Crentsil Jnr, regional crops officer, Hajia Habibu.

William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Regional Correspondent