Re-introduce Operation Feed Yourself - Chief

Apam (C/R), June 4, GNA - The Omanhene of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, Obrifo Ahunaku Ahor Ankobea II, has called on the government to re-introduce "Operation Feed Yourself" as a measure to revitalise farming.

Obrifo Ahor Ankobea said the global food crisis called for pragmatic measures such as "Operation Feed Yourself", initiated by the Acheampong regime which whipped up interest in farming. Under that programme, even city dwellers were encouraged to cultivate food crops at their back yards.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Apam on the food situation in the country, the Paramount Chief said, it was time workers used their leisure time especially at weekends to support farmers who were getting older and weaker and therefore could not produce much. He appealed to chiefs and land owners to release lands at reasonable cost to people who wanted to farm.

Lands must be released to schools, especially boarding schools to farm to support their feeding grants.

Obrifo Ahor Ankobea suggested that school farms should be used as criteria for taking on schools which wanted to enjoy the School Feeding Programme.

"It is impossible for the government alone to feed children from all Kindergarten and Primary School in the country without a support in the form of community farming by the schools," he noted. The Paramount Chief said the farms could be used for practical training for the children who might want to be farmers in the future.