On the occasion of the 2016 Farmers’ Day celebrations, I join all Ghanaians in expressing our sincere appreciation to our farmers and fisherfolk for their hard work and commitment to the cause of building Mother Ghana over the years.
The role of agriculture in transforming any
economy and nation is vital. If we are to make any meaningful change in the
lives of the people, our efforts must be directed at this sector. The majority
of people can only feel a change in their lives when we develop agriculture
rapidly.
However, the agriculture sector has been
largely neglected under the NDC government over the last 8 years. Budgetary
allocation to the sector has been reducing consistently – from 4% in 2009 to
1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that
growth rate in the sector, which stood at 7.4% in 2008, the last year of the
NPP administration, was only a dismal 2.4% in 2015.
With modernization and diversification of
agriculture being a key component of the NPP’s 4-Point Agenda for the
development of Ghana, I wish to assure our farmers and fisherfolk that the
blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from growing
the agricultural sector and making it more modern, more efficient and
therefore, more productive. Access to finance, improved training and
technology, reducing post-harvest losses, extending feeder roads and farm
tracts to as many farm gates as possible, increasing irrigation facilities, and
guaranteeing markets for our farm produce are going to be the nucleus of this
approach. All these would be implemented in close collaboration between the
District Assemblies and the field staff of the Ministry of Food and
Agriculture. Farmers should have a cause to look forward to tomorrow with
belief and joy!I congratulate all award winners in this year’s National Best
Farmers' Day Awards and I hope that your exploits and achievements would be an
inspiration for others to the benefit of the Ghanaian people. God bless our
farmers and fisher folk. God bless Ghana.signed,Nana Akufo-Addo
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