Agric economist dares Gov’t to create 750k agric jobs in six months

Economist, William Awuku Aheadomeh has stated that he is confident in the ability of government to create some 750 thousand jobs through Agriculture.

The minister of agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has indicated that government’s Planting For Food and Jobs Policy, expected to be rolled out this year, will create that number of jobs in the country.

Mr Awuku Aheadomeh notes the opportunities exist for this government to realize this “in six months without sweat”.

Speaking to host Lantam Papanko on the Ultimate Breakfast Show in Kumasi he explained, “For every five thousand birds you raise, you need three workers. Can you imagine what it is when the national poultry farmers association is planning to produce 65 million birds in a year? So when the new minister says we are going to create 750 thousand jobs, it means he has access to some information and I have no doubt at all.”

“Poultry alone will bring that job of about 500 thousand within one year whereas crop even if restricted to maize can get the 750 thousand jobs across this country. In fact I can carry out that whole project if I had access to about80 million dollars. And I challenge the minister that if he really wants to do this he should go ahead but he must work with the right people’.

Giving an example, Mr Awuku Aheadomeh indicated that an out grower project his firm Agricare Company Limited had begun in five regions had increased yields of a hundred and ninety farmers from 1.7 metric tonnes of maize per hector to 6 metric tonnes of maize per hectare.

He however lamented that his company has held on to a plan to reach five thousand more farmers because of a funding gap of some 3 million dollars out of which the company had managed to raise 1 million dollars.

William Awuku Aheadomeh however advised that government works with rural banks to invest in the farmers in order to eliminate possibility for partisanship and a reluctance of farmers to pay back the loans.