Hot SourceBy Richard Kasu
One will ask, how committed is HE John Dramani Mahama to Ghana’s agriculture sector?
To be blunt, President Mahama’s agriculture and food security policy which focuses on boosting food production, reducing imports and creating jobs especially among young people is on course steadily.
In fact, 9 months into JDM’s administration, strategic agriculture initiatives including the Presidential Agriculture Initiatives and Agribusiness (PIAA) are being rolled out passionately. The man at the center of the innovative and forward looking initiative (PIAA) is a Ghanaian academic and politician, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor. His dedication to the Directorate and seriousness attached to the initiative thus far is producing quality outcomes.
From my checks, there’s no week or month passing without key updates from the initiative’s official social media handle (Facebook) to inform the public about progress being made. The public continues to get updates on field trips, stakeholders engagement, partnership meetings, signing of MoUs among others in a timely manner. This accountability mechanism in my view is helping to carry the population along so far as the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness is concerned.
I have read updates on the Dobidi Initiative which is a government-led private sector-driven outgrower program aimed at supporting smallholder farmers with critical farming inputs to boost production and improve livelihoods. The school farm project is another promising initiative targeting about 700 schools nationwide and aimed at transforming senior high schools into agriculture hub for food production, experimental learning and agriculture innovation.
Mention had also been made of the Ghana Shea Industry boost under PIAA with a Shea Expo recently organized. Another very important initiative under PIAA is the coconut seedlings distribution where government plans to distribute about 3 million coconut seedlings to farmers across the country with the view of expanding coconut production to enable Ghana tap into the global coconut market for economic growth.
The questions therefore are would these initiatives take Ghana out of the woods so far as agriculture gaps are concerned? Are these initiatives the best strategies to compliment Government of Ghana’s efforts to build resilient agricultural food systems?
To answer the above questions, I say yes! The initiatives under PIAA are promising and bold solutions which are adding value to Ghana’s cumulative efforts to addressing food security and economic challenges. Despite the challenges any such initiatives may face, I can say without any scintilla of doubt that the Directorate under the visionary leadership of Dr. Otokunor is driving change and making agriculture and agribusiness more attractive in recent times especially among young people.
You may I agree or disagree with me on that assertion but that’s my candid view as a citizen and a player in the development space.
The fact is the country stands to benefit hugely from these initiatives when they succeed.
As such, I humbly urge His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana to as a matter of priority increase funding for effective implementation of these presidential initiatives. Partners and relevant stakeholders should align and direct their support towards the success of the initiatives under PIAA.
Clearly, these initiatives are not job for area boys without any impact as we saw in the erstwhile NPP government. These are serious initiatives being managed by renowned and passionate experts with remarkable track records. Ghana, let’s support agric initiatives under PIAA to succeed and make us food secured.
I shall return.
Author: Richard Kasu, Civil Rights Activist and Executive Director, CFF-Ghana
cffghana2018@gmail.com
The post Ideas to bold solutions; How the Otokunor-led Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA) adding value to Ghana’s cumulative efforts to enhance food security appeared first on The Herald ghana.
