Ghana gets US$20m for food production

The International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD), has approved a request of $20 million dollars for Ghana’s food production.

The amount is also to help to deal with emergencies that may arise following the COVID-19 pandemic, Agric Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, has revealed at a press briefing on Thursday April 23, adding that the funds will available in a week or two.

“The target is to take agric growth to a double digit of 10% in the next two to three years,” he said.

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto also outlined a raft of measures being rolled out ahead of the upcoming planting season.

They include market surveillance, where market prices and food availability on the markets are monitored; provision of PPE for Extension Agents, development of guidelines for production, public education through video and print and facilitating inputs distribution.

Medium-term actions include facilitating access to credit for producers, aggregators and processors; supporting NAFCO to mop up strategic stocks for food security, re-establishing early warning systems to provide regular updates on food situation and establishing COVID-19 Fund for Agriculture and Food Security.

Dr Afriyie Akoto further indicated that all flagship programmes, including the planting for food and jobs campaign, will proceed while the government works around the clock to secure additional funding, which will be channelled into dealing with issues of post-harvest losses and also mitigating the effects of COVID-19 on the agricultural sector.

He is hopeful that the additional request for funds will be granted for the benefit of the economy.