The New Patriotic Party presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has congratulated Ghanaian farmers and fisherfolk and promised to make the country’s agriculture sector more modern and efficient in order for them to reap the dividends.
In his 2016 Farmer’s Day message, said modermisation and diversification of agriculture will be a key point of the NPP’s four-point agenda for the development of Ghana, pointing out that Ghana’s oil will not distract an NPP government from focusing on agriculture.
“…The blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from growing the agricultural sector and making it more modern, more efficient and therefore, more productive. Access to finance, improved training and technology, reducing post-harvest losses…”he said.
On the occasion of the 2016 Farmers’ Day celebrations, I join all Ghanaians in expressing our sincere appreciation to our farmers and fisherfolk for their hard work and commitment to the cause of building Mother Ghana over the years.
The role of agriculture in transforming any economy and nation is vital. If we are to make any meaningful change in the lives of the people, our efforts must be directed at this sector. The majority of people can only feel a change in their lives when we develop agriculture rapidly.
However, the agriculture sector has been largely neglected under the NDC government over the last 8 years. Budgetary allocation to the sector has been reducing consistently – from 4% in 2009 to 1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that growth rate in the sector, which stood at 7.4% in 2008, the last year of the NPP administration, was only a dismal 2.4% in 2015.
With modernisation and diversification of agriculture being a key component of the NPP’s 4-Point Agenda for the development of Ghana, I wish to assure our farmers and fisherfolk that the blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from growing the agricultural sector and making it more modern, more efficient and therefore, more productive.
Access to finance, improved training and technology, reducing post-harvest losses, extending feeder roads and farm tracts to as many farm gates as possible, increasing irrigation facilities, and guaranteeing markets for our farm produce are going to be the nucleus of this approach.
All these would be implemented in close collaboration between the District Assemblies and the field staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Farmers should have a cause to look forward to tomorrow with belief and joy!
I congratulate all award winners in this year’s National Best Farmers’ Day Awards and I hope that your exploits and achievements would be an inspiration for others to the benefit of the Ghanaian people.
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