Planting for Food and Jobs Programme receives international recognition

Th government of Rwanda and Africans Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) have acknowledged the efforts of Ghana at revamping its agricultural sector following the introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative.

Describing Ghana’s success story as an evolution in Africa’s agricultural development, the Rwandan government says Ghana has shown true leadership in leading the way towards transforming agriculture and improving the lots of rural and farming communities in the country.

According to the Rwandan government, Ghana has demonstrated foremost leadership in making significant contribution towards driving Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda.

As one of the leading economies on the African continent, Rwanda has indicated its readiness to replicate the Ghanaian success by introducing similar policy in their country.

Against this background, the President of the republic of Rwanda, H.E Paul Kagame, has extended formal invitation to the Minister of Food and Agriculture of Ghana, Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, to this year’s African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) slated for Kigali on the 5th to 8th of September, 2018.

Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto is expected to give a presentation on the successes achieved by Ghana since the introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

This year’s forum in Kigali will pay particular attention to issues, among others, around strengthening state capability for agricultural transformation, as well as enhancing African food system to improve nutrition across the continent.

In a letter inviting the Minister of Food and Agriculture of Ghana to the 2018 AGRF programme, the Government of Rwanda noted “We know that your Government continues to provide leadership in the sector on these issues, for instance, through the government’s flagship “Planting for Food and Job (PFJ), aimed at enhancing productivity of crops of significance for food and feed in Ghana through integrated services on farming and marketing”.

The letter further stated, “your increased leadership and ownership of the agriculture sector priorities in Ghana is evidenced by the fact that your government single handedly committed 100% of the requisite budget for rolling out the pilot phase of the PFJ in 2017”

The AGRF 2018 is expected to be attended by more than 1500 delegates and high-level dignitaries including current and former Heads of State and Government, Agriculture and Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, eminent leaders of global and regional development institutions, top industry captains from the national, regional and global private sector.

It is being organized by the Government of Rwanda in collaboration with Alliance for Green Revolution of Africa (AGRA) and African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF).