PFJ boosts food security and agriculture growth

The government’s Planting for Food and Jobs (PfFJs) programme has improved national food security and growth of agriculture, Mrs Cecilia Kagya- Agyemang, the has stated. She noted the gains of the programme had become enormous including abundance of food in the country, adding that the purpose was also to modernize the agricultural sector to create job opportunities and reduce poverty in the country. Mrs Kagya-Agyemang made the point when she was speaking at a day’s regional joint sector review on sustaining the gains of the PfFJs for resilient national food system at Techiman, Bono East Region. Participants were drawn from the five municipalities and six districts in the region and they included agriculture officer, farmers and other stakeholders. She said sustaining the PfFJs’ gains through stakeholder support in promoting agricultural sector activities would greatly mitigate poverty. Mrs Kagya-Agyemang noted, however, that the outbreak of the COVID-19 and the effects of Russian-Ukraine war had resulted in the high cost of fertilizer and fuel leading to the limited use of inorganic fertilizer. It is against that background, she said it had become imperative for government and stakeholders to take actions that would sustain the gains of PfFJs. Mrs Kagya-Agyemang therefore encouraged farmers to continue with the application of organic fertilizers since they were less costly and could also assist in promoting shifting from inorganic to organic fertilizer usage for quality crop production. In a presentation, Mr Eric Kontomah, the Bono East Regional Crop Officer said the PfFJs focused on growing cereal, leguminous and vegetable crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, soybean, groundnuts, cowpea, tomatoes, onions, pepper, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce and carrots. Mr Kontomah reiterated the PfFJs’ gains further covered increased use of inorganic fertilizers, use of improved seeds due to climate variation, improved extension services and increased awareness and adoption of diverse organic fertilizers such as foliage use by farmers. He appealed for adequate recruitment of agriculture extension officers, provision of electronic registration for farmers under the PfFJs programme in the southern sector, recruitment of adequate staff to safeguard the inputs distribution to farmers at the various sales points in the districts and improving road network in the region for holistic improvement of agricultural activities.

The government’s Planting for Food and Jobs (PfFJs) programme has improved national food security and growth of agriculture, Mrs Cecilia Kagya- Agyemang, the has stated. She noted the gains of the programme had become enormous including abundance of food in the country, adding that the purpose was also to modernize the agricultural sector to create job opportunities and reduce poverty in the country. Mrs Kagya-Agyemang made the point when she was speaking at a day’s regional joint sector review on sustaining the gains of the PfFJs for resilient national food system at Techiman, Bono East Region. Participants were drawn from the five municipalities and six districts in the region and they included agriculture officer, farmers and other stakeholders. She said sustaining the PfFJs’ gains through stakeholder support in promoting agricultural sector activities would greatly mitigate poverty. Mrs Kagya-Agyemang noted, however, that the outbreak of the COVID-19 and the effects of Russian-Ukraine war had resulted in the high cost of fertilizer and fuel leading to the limited use of inorganic fertilizer. It is against that background, she said it had become imperative for government and stakeholders to take actions that would sustain the gains of PfFJs. Mrs Kagya-Agyemang therefore encouraged farmers to continue with the application of organic fertilizers since they were less costly and could also assist in promoting shifting from inorganic to organic fertilizer usage for quality crop production. In a presentation, Mr Eric Kontomah, the Bono East Regional Crop Officer said the PfFJs focused on growing cereal, leguminous and vegetable crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, soybean, groundnuts, cowpea, tomatoes, onions, pepper, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce and carrots. Mr Kontomah reiterated the PfFJs’ gains further covered increased use of inorganic fertilizers, use of improved seeds due to climate variation, improved extension services and increased awareness and adoption of diverse organic fertilizers such as foliage use by farmers. He appealed for adequate recruitment of agriculture extension officers, provision of electronic registration for farmers under the PfFJs programme in the southern sector, recruitment of adequate staff to safeguard the inputs distribution to farmers at the various sales points in the districts and improving road network in the region for holistic improvement of agricultural activities.