Minister receives US Farmers Union President

Mr Fifi Kwetey, Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Tuesday welcomed the President of US National Farmers’ Union, Mr Roger Johnson, who is in Ghana to participate in the National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO).

The FAGRO would commence on November 12 in Kumasi where Mr Johnson is expected to make a presentation to energize Ghanaian farmers to reposition themselves in the farming business to increase yields towards food security.

He would seek to hammer the need for the farmers and the youth to change their attitude to farming and see it as the main driver of the economy.

Mr Kwetey said his visit was very important in that Ghana’s agricultural sector required massive transformation to be able to feed the teeming population.

He said the challenge with agriculture in Ghana was that it was considered as a profession for uneducated people, hence few people ventured into it.

“We need to change this perception and change the minds of people and clearly your experience will help. Traditionally the belief is that transformation must come from government but it needed to be private-public partnership,” he said.

The Farmers’ Union in the US view farming as a serious business where people devote their time and energies to it but unfortunately the situation was quite different in Ghana partly due to ignorance.

Mr Johnson’s presentation at the show would touch on a range of farming issues particularly how farmers can differentiate fake chemicals from original ones and how to apply modern farming schemes and technologies to improve yields for food sufficiency.

Mr Johnson has wide range farming experience and has been working to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life of family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership.

FAGRO would, this year, focus its energies and activities on some schemes and technologies that can aid in reducing risk in agri-businesses and farming for growth and development.

Agri-business, companies, entrepreneurs, farmers and governments are increasingly recognising that the reduction of risks is a foundation for a successful sustainable development and that is exactly what FAGRO 2014 is all about.

The theme for the 2014 FAGRO is; “Sustainable Agricultural Growth and Development: Reducing Risk,” and would be held in Kumasi from November 12 to November 14 at the Cultural Centre.