The government says it’s taking significant steps toward transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector into a more resilient, efficient, and modern industry through a plan that will see 5,000 graduates from a range of agricultural and veterinary institutions nationwide deployed to assist farmers in improving productivity and embracing modern farming practices.
Minister for Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku explained that this measure is part of the Feed Ghana program. The program aims to modernize agriculture and bridge the gap between academic research and everyday farming techniques.
The Minister elaborated: “We are deploying our extension officers, and as we mentioned last Saturday, we are bringing on board 5,000 graduates from agricultural and veterinary colleges, many of whom have been home since 2015 without employment. We want all of them to be part of the Feed Ghana initiative.”
These graduates will be assigned to farms across the country, where they will assist in the implementation of advanced, research-based agricultural methods.
He added that: “We want to close the gap between agricultural research and the actual practices on farms. These graduates will play a critical role in introducing modern farming techniques to local farmers.”
Furthermore, Mr. Opoku announced that Ghana has acquired 300 tonnes of rice seeds from the Korean government. The seeds, donated by KOPIA, a Korean agricultural research agency located in Ghana, will be distributed to enhance local rice production.
“We are distributing high-quality rice and maize seeds that have been approved as best suited for our soil. We’re also preparing to supply the northern regions when the season begins in May,” the Minister stated.
