Government has announced its plan to implement an aggressive food programme from June 2023, aiming to guarantee food security and availability for the next five years.
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, revealed that the proposed programme, distinct from the existing Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, is currently awaiting approval in Parliament.
During the launch of the Export Trading Group (ETG) Agri-inputs under the Sustain Africa Initiative, Mr Acheampong explained, “This year, from June [2023], the government is going to roll out an aggressive programme that will ensure food security and availability for the next five years.”
He further outlined that if approved by the cabinet, the plan would introduce an input credit system to replace the current subsidy programme. This would facilitate easier entry into agriculture and provide farmers with subsidized access to fertilizers.
As part of efforts to address food insecurity in Ghana, the African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership, in collaboration with ETG Agri-Inputs under the Sustain Africa Initiative, launched an emergency response and resilience initiative.
Under this initiative, the Country Director of ETG Agri-inputs, Fred Akowuah, committed to providing 15,000 metric tonnes of subsidized fertilizers, with the aim of revolutionizing Ghana's agricultural sector.
In his statement, Akowuah emphasized, “Through this initiative, ETG is making a resolute commitment and pledging to provide over 15,000 metric tonnes of discounted sulphate of ammonia and NPK fertilisers.”
Nana Aisha Mohammed, the Sustain Africa Regional Manager for West and Central Africa, revealed that the initiative would benefit around 150,000 smallholder farmers, particularly focusing on women and youth.
Mohammed stated, “For Ghana's programme, we hope to target at least 150,000 smallholder farmers across the country with a special focus on women and youth.”
The Sustain Africa Initiative, themed “Enhancing Agriculture Value Chains and Food Systems in Africa,” aims to strengthen agriculture value chains and food systems across the continent.
