Government Asked To Subsidize Agricultural Inputs

Adaklu Kodzobi (V/), Dec. 01 GNA - Mr. Emmanuel Odoi, an Agricultural Extension Officer in the Adaklu Anyigbe District said the high cost of agricultural inputs and the high interest rates on loans was scaring away potential farmers, especially the youth from venturing into farming.

He said many farmers were also disillusioned because they could not make any meaningful profits on the sale of their produce. Mr. Odoi, who said this in a chat with the GNA on Friday therefore called on Government to seriously consider subsidizing agricultural inputs o attract the youth to take up farming as a vocation instead of roaming the cities for non-existent jobs. He suggested that storage facilities should be built in all districts of the country to enable food crop farmers store their produce to avoid post harvest losses.

Mr. Odoi appealed to farmers to form co-operative groups to enable them access loans to expand their farms. Mr. Richard Adzoma, a retired employee of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) lauded government for instituting the Farmers Day to honour farmers but said peasant farmers who were in the majority in the country do not benefit from the awards and appealed to government to device a means of rewarding them.

He suggested that a similar day should be instituted for commercial drivers as they also play a vital role in the socio-economic development

of the country.