The government has reaffirmed its commitment to integrating agroecological and nature-based farming practices into the flagship Feed Ghana Programme as part of efforts to increase food production, protect the environment and strengthen the country’s long-term food security.
Speaking at the CIRAWA International Conference on Agroecology and Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Food Systems in Africa in Accra on Thursday, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang said the initiative would place sustainable agriculture at the centre of Ghana’s agricultural transformation agenda.
The Vice President’s speech, delivered on her behalf by Alex Segbefia, outlined the government’s four-year Feed Ghana Programme, which is designed to promote environmentally sustainable farming while improving agricultural productivity.
She said the programme would focus on crop diversification, agroforestry, improved soil fertility management, the use of bio-fertilisers and bio-pesticides, farmer-led irrigation, simple mechanisation and improved seed systems.
“The Government of Ghana has committed, through its flagship Feed Ghana Programme, to promoting and mainstreaming agroecological practices as part of the country’s wider agricultural transformation agenda,” the Vice President stated.
She explained that adopting agroecological practices would help farmers increase productivity while preserving natural resources and improving resilience against climate-related challenges.
According to her, despite significant investments by governments and development partners over the years, agriculture across Africa continues to face persistent obstacles that threaten food production and food security.
She noted that although conventional agricultural systems have played a critical role in reducing hunger globally, they have also contributed to environmental degradation, declining soil health and biodiversity loss.
“The production and consumption of adequate, nutritious, safe and affordable food for all remain serious and persistent challenges across Africa and beyond. We must not only halt this destruction, but degraded ecosystems must also be rehabilitated and restored,” she said.
The Vice President stressed that building resilient food systems would require stronger collaboration among governments, research institutions, civil society organisations and development partners.
She called on stakeholders to develop practical, science-based and locally adapted solutions that support sustainable agriculture while improving livelihoods for farmers across the continent.
She added that greater investment in nature-based farming approaches would help countries address the dual challenge of increasing food production while protecting ecosystems for future generations.
The CIRAWA International Conference brought together policymakers, researchers, development partners and agricultural experts to discuss innovative approaches for promoting sustainable food systems across Africa, with particular emphasis on agroecology and nature-based solutions as key drivers of climate resilience and agricultural transformation.
