Some stakeholders of Ghana’s Agricultural Sector are urging President-elect John Dramani Mahama to spearhead aggressive measures that will propel agro-industrialization and empowerment of smallholder farmers in his next government.
The stakeholders which include the Chamber of Agribusiness, Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Chamber of Aquaculture, Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association, Poultry Farmers Association, Butternut Growers Association, and Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body among others say the agric sector in its current state requires transformative strategies to move the country’s economy.
The sector players are convinced that agro-industrialization and smallholder farmer empowerment initiatives among others are very critical to unlocking the sector’s potential for job creation and economic growth.
The industry leaders are calling on Mr. Mahama to establish robust agro-industries to process raw agricultural products, adding value and boosting their competitiveness in both local and international markets.
The group says there should be deliberate promotion of agro-industrialization emphasizing an aggressive development and establishment of “robust agro-industries to add value to raw agricultural products and increase their competitiveness in local and international markets.”
Recognizing the crucial role of smallholder farmers in Ghana, the group is also advocating that President Mahama empower these farmers to easily access training credit, and mechanization to improve productivity.
“Provide training, credit, mechanization, and other support services to smallholder farmers to improve their productivity and competitiveness,” these stakeholders charge the President-elect in a statement cited by The High Street Journal.
The stakeholders are further urging the next NDC administration to create an enabling environment that includes incentives for investment in agricultural infrastructure and agro-processing industries. This approach, they argue, will foster innovation, expand market opportunities, and increase production capacity.
These Industry players are optimistic that prioritizing these areas will position Ghana’s agricultural sector as a driver of economic growth and a source of sustainable livelihoods.
As President-elect Mahama prepares to take office, the agricultural community is counting on his administration to champion these initiatives and catalyze a new era of growth and prosperity in the sector. The stakes are high, but so is the promise of a revitalized agricultural economy that works for all Ghanaians.
