On The Occasion Of Farmers' Day...NPP MP Shares His Thoughts
It is a special honour to salute my colleague farmers on the occasion of celebrating Farmers' Day.
Although our farmers deserve to be remembered and honored, we should never forget their plight.
Despite stakeholders vast investment in land and human resources in the farming sector, Ghana's share in global production keeps declining.
Agricultural growth in Ghana has slumped to 2.3% in 2015. The plight of the Ghanaian farmer, calls for sustainable solutions.
The Fulani cattle rearers menace is of grave concern to farmers at certain parts of our country. Farmers can't have access to their farm lands for the fear of being shot or threatened by the cattle rearers.
These callous herdsmen don't care about investment made but direct their cattle to graze on farmers plantations, molesting and harassing farmers who are bold to face them. These plight of such farmers can't be ignored on this special day.
As a farmer myself, I'm disturbed that is why I'm calling for definite and sustainable approaches to address this worrying trend that is contributing to the poverty levels through loss of income generating avenues and rising unemployment levels.
Many factors keep threatening the production and low returns from the farming sector and stakeholders must take pragmatic measures to save the situation.
There is the need to review the low share of the final product value that accrues to farmers. I'm pleading with stakeholders in the value and supply chain, such as associations, traders, exporters, the government, and trans-national farm produce processing corporations who hold the negotiating capacity and have the ability to influence prices to advocate for the interest of the farmers.
Although significant efforts have been invested in strengthening farmer associations which protects farmers from market volatility, there is the need to review the institutional arrangements and policy framework in the food supply chain.
Most Ghanaian farmers lack access to extension services, technology, finance and investment capital to upgrade their operations through important agricultural practices such as intensification and fertilization.
I therefore propose that solutions to boost the sector be drawn from looking at value addition activities in Ghana and respect for intellectual property so as increase returns to crops and animal production in farming communities.
Although women undertake the majority of vital maintenance and harvesting work on our farms, they remain disadvantaged in the industry and tend to have little control over the harvest proceeds. I will therefore plead with stakeholders to train women and provide them with adequate information that advances their opportunity to contribute to the decision-making processes that affect them and their families.
To our Cherished Farmers, I say Ayekoo
Long Live Farmers Long Live Asante Akyem North Long Live Ghana
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