Akufo-Addo’s ‘planting for food & jobs’ programme gets $120M boost

The Canadian government is set to inject a total of 120m dollars (125 million Canadian Dollars) into the Planting For Food and Jobs initiative being spearheaded by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Agreement for the release of the grant has consequently been signed by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on behalf of Ghana while the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Heather Anne Cameron on behalf of her country.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Frema Opare Addo and the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.

The initiative forms part of the Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) Project, which forms part of efforts by government to reverse the declining growth of the agric sector over the past eight years.

The Planting For Food and Jobs is a new policy geared towards the modernization of Ghana’s agriculture and ensure food security for the country.

The programme will be operating under five main components; supply of improved seedlings, provision of fertilizers, extension services, marketing for produce and e-agriculture.

The Canadian High Commissioner, Ms Anne Cameron agreed to support the programme after series of meetings with Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Briefing the media on the agreement, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said the amount will be released in five tranches over the next five years and will go into two main components of the programme; purchasing and supply of improved seedlings as well as extension services support for beneficiary farmers to be captured under the initiative.

He added that other development partners, including the Korean and Israeli governments have also pledged to support the programme which is expected to take off in the coming crop season.