Help improve food production, scientists told

New Tafo (Eastern Region), 19 Feb. '99 -

Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minster of Food and Agriculture, has urged soil scientists to collaborate with his ministry to help remove the constraints hampering food sufficiency in the country. He expressed concern that despite the abundant human and natural resources, Ghana continues to import food. Mr Owusu-Acheampong was opening the 16th annual general meeting of the Soil Science Society of Ghana (SSSG) at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) at Akim New-Tafo on Wednesday.

The theme of the meeting was ''Managing soil for sustainable production of food, cash and industrial crops''. He said the ministry was undertaking various studies to identify constraints that impede increased agricultural production as the country enters the new millennium. Mr Owusu-Acheampong said in most sub-Saharan African countries including Ghana, agricultural production continued to rely on the traditional bush-fallow system, resulting in low crop yields and declining soil fertility due to decreasing fallow periods. The minister, who commended the co-operation of soil scientists with his ministry in the development of a National Soil Fertility Management Action Plan launched last December, was happy that Ghana was the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to have come out with such a plan.

The plan will enhance soil fertility for sustainable increase in agricultural production within the framework of the World Bank's global soil fertility initiative. Mr Owusu-Acheampong said the launching of the National Soil Fertility Management Action Plan was a further challenge to members of the society and invited them to use the meeting as an opportunity to demonstrate the relevance of the soil as the basis and foundation for agriculture . He said most farmers are unable to afford the high costs of mineral fertility management strategies because this involve the combined use of mineral fertiliser and organic plant nutrients and commended the CRIG for developing potash fertiliser from cocoa pod husk to supplement inorganic potash fertiliser imports.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu- Ampofo, said the theme is relevant at a time the country is working towards achieving food sufficiency. He reminded the society that it had a crucial role to play in Ghana's efforts to properly manage her soil resources so that agriculture could be sustainable. Dr S.V. Adu, one of the first Ghanaian soil scientists who solely conducted the first soil map survey of the land allocated to the then West Africa Cocoa research Institute (WACRI), now CRIG in 1946, urged young scientists to emulate the dedication and hardwork of the pioneers of the society. GRi.../