Agricultural Scientists has urged government to take special interest in agricultural sector
Agricultural scientists across the country are calling on government to revive the interest of agric in the youth by incorporating agriculture back into the curriculum of basic, secondary and tertiary institutions.
According to the scientists, such a move will make government’s flagship policies in Agric like the 'Planting for Food and Jobs' and the 'One District One Factory' very relevant to the Ghanaian.
The scientists, including former Ministers of Agriculture met at the homecoming of students of Agriculture at the University of Cape Coast.
The gathering of the Agricultural experts was to help revive the interest of agric in Ghana and also offer critical suggestions and recommendations to government to help boost the Agricultural sector.
The three-day event, one of the steps towards the gathering of hearts and minds in agriculture to accelerate government’s numerous in agriculture, saw many young and old scientists in the sector offering suggestions that could improve the agriculture sector.
Dean of the School of Agric at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako says a review of the curriculum in schools in Ghana to make agric science part and parcel of every single Ghanaian is key to accelerated development.
“We are thankful for the current government for the initiative in the agric sector. This is what we have always been asking for because as an agrarian nation, we need to make agriculture part of us.
I am sure if government’s interventions continue like this, the interest of agric would be revived. We need to re-introduce agric at the basic, secondary and training colleges. This is the surest way of making government’s policies meaningful,” he explained.
Former deputy Minister of Agric, Alhaji Yakubu Alhassan lauded government’s interest in reviving the agric sector. He says the homecoming will serve as a power house of knowledge in agriculture to help support government.
A crop scientist at the school of Agric at the University of Cape Coast, Frank Kwekucher Ackah is convinced the time to take bold initiatives in supporting research in agriculture by government is now.
He believes government’s interest in the agricultural sector would turn the fortunes of the country around.
