Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II (PFJ 2.0)

1.0 WHY THE PFJ PROGRAM

The Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program is a strategic flagship agricultural initiative launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo on 19^th April, 2017. It aims to boost self-sufficiency in selected food commodities, modernize agriculture, and stimulate growth through subsidies for food security and job creation. Despite mobilizing over 1.2 million farmers and creating 800+ jobs, the program faced significant budgetary constraints, posing a major challenge to its sustainability.

2.0 WHY PFJ 2.0

On August 28, 2023 the President Nana Akufo Addo launched the second phase of the PFJ program dubbed Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II (PFJ 2.0), in Tamale. This phase aims to transition from a direct input subsidy to a direct credit system linked to a structured market arrangement. The five-year period of implementing PFJ 2.0 is expected to increase the availability and access to improved inputs, mechanization, extension services, and output markets.

3.0 WHAT IS PFJ 2.0 ADDRESSING

The PFJ 2.0 program is set to tackle the following challenges:

1. The difficulty in accessing credit facilities
2. The issue of inadequate productivity and production
3. The instability of food prices
4. The insufficient promotion of commercial agriculture
5. The unreliability of food security and resilience

4.0 WHAT ARE THE FOCUS COMMODITIES OF PFJ 2.0

PFJ 2.0 program is starting with eleven priority commodities.

5.0 WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIC COMPONENTS OF PFJ 2.0

The PFJ 2.0 is anchored on five (5) elements:

1. Input Credit System
2. Storage and distribution infrastructure
3. Off-taker arrangement
4. Digitalized Platform
5. Line of sight Management & Coordination

6.0 HOW IS THE PFJ 2.0 BEING IMPLEMENTED

The operational modalities of the PFJ 2.0 program are as follows:

1. Beneficiary farmer registration and GPS farm mapping
2. Farmers linked to accredited aggregators in their specific zones
3. Aggregators provide timely inputs to beneficiary farmers on credit
4. Participating banks provide payment guarantees to input suppliers on the program
5. Aggregator recovers the equivalent cost of inputs with produce.
6. Aggregator stores recovered commodities in designated warehouses.
7. Majority of the warehoused commodities would be sold to off-takers
8. The warehoused commodity would also feed the National Strategic Stocks
9. Off-takers would pay the banks upon receipt of the warehoused commodities
10. The Banks then credit all actors (input suppliers, aggregators and other service providers)
11. Ghana Agriculture and Agribusiness Platform (GhAAP) a digital solutions platform would handle all digital transactions seamlessly

7.0 WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM PFJ 2.0

New and existing companies and individuals can enroll and benefit from the program. 

8.  BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTERING AS A FARMER OR COMPANY

For a farmer or a producer to benefit from the PFJ2.0, he/she will need to undergo a registration process. The basic requirements to be met are as follows:

1. Have access to land or farm.
2. Farmer/company profile to be captured.
3. Capture GPS of farm or land coordinates (polygons)
4. Be a Ghanaian
5. Have a valid Ghana card.

Contact the District / Municipal Agriculture Office in your local Assembly. Speak to the District or Municipal Agriculture Director or your Extension Agent and you will surely become a beneficiary.

Issued from the PFJ Secretariat at MoFA

Contact: 0247547739

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