Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast‘s Department of Crop Science, Dr. Frank Kwekucher Ackah, has backed President John Mahama’s call for churches in Ghana to venture into farming and agribusiness.
He believes that leveraging church-owned lands for food production can help tackle food insecurity, reduce inflation, and support church members struggling with rising living costs.
In an exclusive interview with The High Street Journal, Dr. Ackah emphasized that churches have historically played a role in feeding their congregations and should now take deliberate steps to establish farms. He cited examples of religious institutions that have successfully integrated agriculture into their operations, recalling a model he observed in the United States.
“I visited a church in the U.S. that had a five-acre farm, and they allocated portions of the land to young people interested in farming. In return, these farmers contributed a portion of their produce to support the church’s food aid program,” he explained.
Dr. Ackah argued that Ghanaian churches, many of which own large tracts of idle land, could adopt a similar system by supporting members interested in farming and dedicating a portion of the produce to help the needy.
Call for Government Support
To make the initiative successful, Dr. Ackah called on the government to provide support in the form of input subsidies, tax exemptions on agricultural equipment, and training for church-based farming initiatives. He suggested that churches with the capacity for large-scale production should receive incentives to expand their operations.
“Some churches can cultivate up to 50 or even 1,000 acres if given the necessary support. Government subsidies on fertilizers, animal feed, and farming equipment will go a long way in encouraging these institutions to engage in large-scale agribusiness,” he noted.
Profit or Charity? The Model for Church Farming
On whether churches should farm for profit or charity, Dr. Ackah believes both models can be combined. He proposed that churches could run grocery stores that sell farm produce at affordable prices to members while donating excess food to the needy.
“Imagine a church-owned farm producing cassava and processing it into gari for distribution among members. This could significantly ease the burden on struggling families,” he said.
He further urged churches that lack land to provide financial support to members willing to farm, ensuring that the food produced benefits both the church and the wider community.
Churches as Key Players in Ghana’s Food System
Dr. Ackah concluded by stressing that churches, as respected institutions with vast networks, can play a major role in transforming Ghana’s food system. He believes that if faith-based organizations embrace farming, they can help stabilize food prices, reduce hunger, and set an example for sustainable agribusiness in the country.
“The church is an industry on its own. If they take up farming, they can become a powerful force in Ghana’s agricultural sector,” he emphasized.
