A civil society organisation with interest in social justice, SEND Ghana, and its partners have appealed to the government to expedite the distribution of agricultural inputs to fa
The report indicates that a civil society organisation with interest in social justice, SEND Ghana, and its partners have appealed to the government to expedite the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers under its flagship Feed Ghana Programme, as the planting season begins across the country.
It further notes that the organisation stated delays in the release of seeds, fertilisers and other essential farm inputs could negatively affect this year’s farming season and undermine efforts to improve food security.
In a statement issued in Accra on Monday, May 25, SEND Ghana stated its interactions with farmers in the Northern, Oti, Volta and Bono East regions indicated that many farmers were yet to receive farming inputs despite the onset of the rains.
It added that checks conducted with the Department of Agriculture also indicated that most Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) had not received the inputs for onward distribution to farmers.
The initiative was launched by President John Dramani Mahama in April last year to boost local food production, create jobs and reduce the country’s reliance on imported food.
Popularly referred to as ‘Yeridua’, to wit, “we are planting”, the programme is centred on practical farming approaches that involve households, schools, communities and institutions.
It also involves sub-projects on vegetables, grains, poultry, oil palm, tubers and other import substitutes to reduce the country’s reliance on imports, return to a culture of self-reliance and build a stronger food system that works for everyone, from farmers in rural areas to families living in cities.
However, SEND Ghana indicated that the delay in agricultural input distribution could derail the government’s ambitions for the programme if urgent action was not taken.
The civil society organisation, which advocates for vulnerable groups, particularly in health and agriculture, added that some farmers were already reluctant to venture into large-scale farming this year because of the losses they incurred during the previous farming season.
SEND Ghana, therefore, appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to speed up the release and distribution of the inputs to ensure that farmers took advantage of the current rains for planting.
“SEND Ghana also calls on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to ensure that the youth, especially young women, are prioritised in line with the Feed Ghana Programme implementation modalities to address youth unemployment.
“Government should also make information on the programme increasingly available to the public by providing regular updates on the modalities for accessing progress of the implementation,” the civil society organisation said.
It is the view of the organisation and its partners that creating opportunities for young people in agriculture would not only improve livelihoods but also contribute to the long-term sustainability of the country’s agricultural sector.
The organisation also stated the programme had the potential to improve food security, reduce food inflation, create jobs for young people and women, and promote agro-industrial development and exports.
