A Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong Addo has indicated that budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector is insufficient considering the workload of the Ministry.
According to him, there is so much to do to achieve the targets in the agriculture sector.
Speaking at a learning event organised to share insights from the implementation of the USAID-AGRA PIATA programme, Mr. Addo called for more donor funding to help the ministry execute its objectives.
“There’s so much to do at the ministry that the budgetary allocations alone cannot let us achieve whatever objectives we set. That is why we continually rely on donor partners such as USAID and AGRA that have consistently funded policy initiatives in Ghana’s agriculture. Agriculture starts from policy formulation and seed production. The private sector which includes donor partners plays a critical role at the core of agriculture hence, my call for more support,” he said.
Over the last 5 years, AGRA with funding from USAID has increased its efforts towards contributing to an inclusive agriculture transformation in Ghana under the Partnership for Inclusive Agriculture Transformation in Africa (PIATA).
Country Manager for AGRA in Ghana, Juliette Lampoh highlighted some recommendations needed to improve the agriculture sector.
“In spite of the successes we have achieved, we have noticed that there are yield gaps. We might have increased yields but we still have most crops doing less than 60% of achievable yields. So, our recommendations include working harder, ensuring that farmers have access to improved quality seeds of diversified varieties, ensuring farmers use the right soil fertility management technologies and ensuring that the private sector is actively participating. Also, we’re working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to include the private sector in policy formulation so that the farmer, ultimately, will produce more and profitably,” she emphasised.
The USAID-AGRA PIATA programme focused on Increasing farmers’ access to quality seeds and fertiliser; improving the enabling environment for private sector participation in the input system; and strengthening smallholder farmer resilience
