Government To Reduce Rice Import

It is the policy of government to increase Agricultural production through Agricultural Modernization and Youth employment. In an exclusive interview with the Accra Times, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Crops, Hon. Yae Effah-Baafi, said government was hopeful that by the end of its first term in office it would reduce drastically rice importation into the country.

Government would also sustain the entire required quantities of the other commodities. The Deputy Minister, who is also the MP for Kintampo South Constituency noted that in 2009, the Mills’ administration engaged 47,000 youth in agriculture by ploughing 12,000 hectares free of charge for them.

According to Hon. Effah-Baafi, this year government is targeting 60,000 hectares and it is likely to engage at least 180,000 youth along the value chain. He disclosed that government would revitalize the poultry industry in the country in order to help solve the problem of feeding, the poultry farmers go through.

He stated that the nineteen existing irrigation dams were being rehabilitated and that dams such as Tonoo and Vea Irrigation Dams have been completed while others are at various stages of rehabilitation. To facilitate dry season farming, Hon. Effah-Baafi hinted that government has procured 800 pumping machines and made them available to farmers who leave along river bodies.

He continued that at the district level, the youth who are interested in farming are registered with the Agriculture officers who ensure that the registered youth go into farming.

The youth must have land available for the programme and that those who do not have access to land would be linked up with land owners in their locality who intend making land available to them” he said.
He maintained that what the Ministry does, is to provide tractor service in the form of land preparation, supply seeds, fertilizer and Agro chemicals where necessary. Hon. Effah-Baafi said after the assistance the youth are made to pay what government had invested them. To guarantee ready market, government has established the National Food Buffer Stock Company, which would be responsible for the mopping up of all excess farm produce for a minimum guarantee price.

Source: The Accra Times