'Protect country's arable lands from real estate developers' - Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings

The Member of Parliament for the Korle Klottey Constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, is advocating for a policy that will protect the country's arable lands in peri-urban areas from real estate developers.

She expressed concern that the country is rapidly losing its agricultural lands due to unregulated land use, which could lead to a food crisis in the near future unless immediate action is taken to address the issue.

Speaking at the opening of the Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AG-STUD) Africa 2024, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings emphasized the importance of food for society and urged the government to safeguard arable lands to support food production.

"You cannot have a house without food," she emphasized, highlighting the need to prioritize food production over real estate development.

The five-day program, organized by Agrihouse Foundation, focuses on "Accelerating our efforts in enabling and advancing career opportunities for agri-youth: Role of the public, private, and development partners."

The event was attended by 350 agricultural students from various tertiary institutions and selected students from some Senior High Schools across the country.

Dr. Zanetor encouraged students to explore opportunities in agriculture, including crop production, processing, storage, haulage, irrigation, and agriculture finance.

James Boateng, Managing Director of Kwafre Farms and the 2018 Best Farmer, shared with participants that agriculture is as profitable as any other business.

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Bryan Acheampong, highlighted the importance of agriculture in the country's economy, contributing about 21% of the Gross Domestic Product. He emphasized the government's commitment to supporting youth involvement in agriculture.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, CEO of Agrihouse Foundation, explained that the annual program aims to expose agric students to diverse career opportunities in the agricultural sector and provide a platform for successful individuals in agriculture to inspire and mentor students.

Participants will engage in various activities such as agri-ted talk mentorship, soft skills development sessions, ag-voyage and coach meet-up sessions, agri-inspire, mindset shaping, innovative role play, credibility and accountability sessions, and the highlight will be the Beginner Agribusiness Competition and Input Dealer Deal Pitch.