Ghana to implement FAO summit plan

Accra (Greater Accra), 15 March ?99 ?Ghana, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), would soon establish a committee to work towards the implementation of the plan of action adopted at the 1996 World Food Summit in Rome. Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister of Agriculture, told the visiting Director-General of FAO, Dr Jacques Diouf that what had been done on the plan was not adequate, but "we would really get moving from now". Dr Diouf arrived on Sunday for a two-day official visit to, during which he will discuss activities Ghana had earmarked for the implementation of the plan. During the Summit, participants from 186 countries, international organisations and the private sector, endorsed a global Plan of Action to lay "the foundation for achieving food security at the individual, household, national, regional and global level." The plan emphasises particular attention to poorer countries and assisting them to alleviate poverty. It aims at reducing by half the over 800 million chronically hungry people by the year 2015. Mr Owusu-Acheampong said the committee would learn from the experiences of countries such as Senegal, which are implementing the plan successfully. On efforts being made to achieve food security, Mr Owusu- Acheampong said the production levels of certain crops like maize were adequate. However, most of the harvest is lost as a result of poor marketing and storage facilities.

The Minister said the problems could be resolved by buying the harvest from farmers and storing them for the lean season and asked the FAO's support to achieve this.

He called for support for small-scale irrigation rice farmers in the Northern sector of the country whom, he said, are idle when there are no rains for half of the year. "When we are able to assist them with irrigation, they can raise production and this will raise their incomes and standard of living". He said Ghana plans to be self-sufficient in rice production and has, therefore, decided to import high quality seeds from Cote d'Ivoire and commended the FAO for its decentralisation programme saying, "it has brought the experts down to the people". Dr Diouf talked about the decentralisation programme and said his visit would find out the facilities and logistics needed to make the regional office in Accra more effective. He earlier held discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and is billed to meet President Jerry Rawlings and other officials. In a separate meeting, Mr Joseph Laryea, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, appealed to FAO to work out a strategy to improve basic infrastructure to enhance agriculture in developing countries. He said provision of such infrastructure, particularly roads and utility services, are necessary for improved food production. Mr Laryea was welcoming Dr Jacques Diouf, Director- General of FAO, in his office in Accra shortly before the two went into a closed-door meeting. Dr Diouf said FAO was in touch with other organisations, including the World Bank, to sponsor short and long-term irrigation projects to support agriculture in developing countries. Another meeting between the FAO Director General and the Deputy Minister of Finance was dominated by inadequate micro- financing for agricultural practices and extension service procedures for farmers. Mr Victor Selormey and Dr Jacques Diouf said it is very important to ensure that financial institutions make available micro-finance for the activities of all categories of farmers. They should also ensure that there are enough agricultural extension officers to impart the latest farming technologies to farmers. Areas that need attention include food crops, cocoa and the exportation of non-traditional crops..

Mr Selormey said government is aware of the importance of the agricultural sector as an employment and its contribution towards GDP, its resourcefulness and ability to sustain national development. "If this foundation is weak, then, the entire national fabric is in trouble," Mr Selormey said adding, " 60 per cent of food crops come from domestic production, but much more can be done with the right technology". The deputy minister said one of the biggest problems facing the nation's agricultural base is that of extension. The problem of slow or non-existent technology transfer procedures, or the lack of linkages between farmers and researchers, has kept Ghana at producing four bags of maize per acre in the last 35 years, he said. Post harvest losses of 25 per cent of the total harvest can be addressed and brought down to a minimum. Mr Selormey offered Ghana as a willing ground for FAO all categories of farmers. They should also ensure that there are enough agricultural extension officers to impart the latest farming technologies to farmers. Areas that need attention include food crops, cocoa and the exportation of non-traditional crops.. Mr Selormey said government is aware of the importance of the agricultural sector as an employment and its contribution towards GDP, its resourcefulness and ability to sustain national development. "If this foundation is weak, then, the entire national fabric is in trouble,"

Mr Selormey said adding, " 60 per cent of food crops come from domestic production, but much more can be done with the right technology". The deputy minister said one of the biggest problems facing the nation's agricultural base is that of extension. The problem of slow or non-existent technology transfer procedures, or the lack of linkages between farmers and researchers, has kept Ghana at producing four bags of maize per acre in the last 35 years, he said. Post harvest losses of 25 per cent of the total harvest can be addressed and brought down to a minimum. Mr Selormey offered Ghana as a willing ground for FAO