The Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Ghana Cocoa Board on Tuesday 29th September, 2020 launched the 36th National Farmers’ Day at the Ministry’s Resource Centre, Accra. The launch was done by the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon. Elizabeth Afoley Quaye. This year’s theme for celebration is ‘Agribusiness Development under COVID-19 – Opportunity and Challenges.”
Due to the pre-existing situation at hand, the launch was done using virtual means.
This year’s celebration will take place in Techiman in the Bono East region. This is to acknowledge the hard work and produces that are gotten from the region, as part of the plan to celebrate the National Farmers’ Day nationwide.
The history and turnout of this year’s major situations is no either than the deadly COVID-19. This has made many institutions to find new and different ways of communicating and working. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is no exception.
As foreseen at a launch, Minister of State in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Hon Dr. Nurah Gyiele sited on a few important notes to enlighten the various successes and aims by the Ministry. He spoke about the underscores in 2017 concerning planting for Food and Jobs objectives of revamping Ghana’s agriculture and assesses its performance as “focused on increasing productivity”. Also the introduction of four additional modules namely ‘the Tree Crop Module’, ‘the Green House Technology Module’, ‘the Agricultural Mechanization Module’ and ‘the Rearing of Food and Jobs Module.’
The theme highlights the new orientation for all actors along the agriculture value chain. Hon. Elizabeth Afoley Quaye gave yet another perspective to the importance of resource utilization and Management of Social platforms in spite of the ongoing pandemic. She emphasized on all the challenge and opportunities presented by pandemic in the various sectors such as Transportation, Marketing, Distribution processing and Storage in all areas especially the Fisheries Sectors.
The Minister discussed about fish landing sites Project that is now ongoing at 12 landing sites such as Teshie, Senya Breku, Dixcove, Winneba, Mumford, Moree and Axim. Fishing harbors also at Elmina, Jamestown and Keta. Moving on, also is the commissioned Green House Villages at Bawjiase, Akomadan and Dawhenya in the Central, Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions respectively. This together form corresponds and consistent Growth of the Sector averaging about (5%) annually. With extension services also been strengthened with the recruitment of two thousand and seven hundred (2700) extension agents with provisions of agriculture materials.
The launch ended with the assurance that government will continue to support the ministry and finally added that agriculture business can be thriving, rewarding and an attractive business venture to experience.
Story by…..
UROWOLI PHILLIP AND NKANSAH CATHERINE.
(MOFA).