President Mahama has reaffirmed the commitment of his government to drop food imports, particularly, poultry products through his ‘Nkuko Nkitinkiti’ as part of the Feed Ghana agenda.
Speaking at the launch of the Feed Ghana initiative in Techiman of the Bono East region, the President hinted that over 50 anchor farmers will be registered this year.
He added that they will be supported to produce four million birds for the commencement of the project targeted at 55,000 households.
“Mr. Chairman, the time has come for bold and decisive actions. We must no longer treat agriculture as an afterthought. Agriculture must be placed at the center of our national economic transformation,” he stated.
He explained that the Feed Ghana Programme forms the foundation of a larger strategy dubbed the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA).
The Feed Ghana initiative is expected to increase food production, drop imports, make Ghana a net exporter of key produce, ensure long-term food securityand make farming attractive.
Mahama expressed confidence that the initiative which will be championed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture will rope in unemployed youth, boost skills and make the country self sufficient.
Emphasising the need for proper investment and skills development for the poultry industry, he added that government will invest in controlled environmental farming, and use greenhouse farming to drastically reduce food crop import.
Mr. Mahama stressed that the Feed Ghana Programme is not only timely but also a demonstration of his government’s intent to invest in the country’s agricultural potential.
“It represents a bold commitment to put our resources where our ambitions lie,” he noted.
He encouraged schools, security forces, ordinary citizens to grow or do backyard farming.
This initiative which is not new is to reintroduce the ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ movement back into the Ghanaian society; but, it will be done with extreme government support and investments.
President Mahama also said, institutional farming will also be introduced to crop production and livestock farming.