Ghana to launch agric project for food security and jobs

Ghana will launch a national agricultural program aimed at ensuring food security and creation of jobs, President Nana Akufo-Addo said Tuesday.

The "Planting For Food And Jobs" program is aimed at using modern methods to change the lives of many within the shortest possible time.

"This campaign will be anchored on the pillars that will transform agriculture, the provision of improved seeds, supply of fertilizers, the provision of dedicated extension services, a marketing strategy and the use of e-agriculture," the president said in his State of the Nation Address in parliament.

The president lamented that the country's agriculture was not in good shape, with farmers left on their own.

"It is not surprising, therefore, that food prices are high and we have to import almost everything we eat, including vegetables from our Sahelian neighbors. And yet, agriculture provides the best opportunity to use modern methods to change the lives of many within the shortest possible time," he argued.

As part of the program, Akufo-Addo promised that his government would embark on a program to provide water to enable all-year farming under a "One Village, One Dam" policy.

"Food processing has been the first step towards industrialization in virtually every country, and it is time for us to take it seriously. Not only will it serve to cut down on the wastage of crops during the high season, it will also provide more jobs and expand farming business," the president added.

To address the challenge of unemployment, which he described as a "veritable time bomb," Akufo-Addo said his government was embarking on one of the most comprehensive programs for industrial transformation ever to be introduced in the country.

He said his government would also enable the provision of reliable, affordable power to enterprises and homes and set up a stimulus package to support existing Ghanaian industries and improve their competitiveness. Endit