US$95m facility to boost food production

Government has secured a US$95 million facility to transform the country’s agricultural sector to improve incomes of farmers to enable them step up production in the interests of job creation and food security.

President John Dramani Mahama, who disclosed this at this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration held at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western Region, said that the facility will support all sectors of agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture and will help to reduce the country’s import bills.

The facility, he said, will support farmers in machinery, inputs, extension services, vehicles and other support services to enable beneficiary farmers to achieve their targets in the coming years.

President Mahama said government will continue educate farmers to adopt modern farming technologies by making available to them workable services that will scale-up production and encouraged Ghanaians to take up farming as a business venture and just as a way of life as it is perceived to be.

This year’s celebration on the theme “Eat What You Grow” was attended by award winners and previous winners, ministers of state, traditional authorities, religious leaders, farmers' associations and members of the business community.

President Mahama was appreciative of the theme for this year’s event in view of the fact that government was doing everything possible to reduce importation of food that the country had comparative advantage in.

Mr. Fifi Kwetey, Minister of Food and Agriculture, congratulated farmers, especially those who picked awards at the celebration, for their hard work and gave the assurance that the Government would ensure there was food sufficiency for both the country and for export.

He said government will work closely with farmers by creating financial support for them to step up agribusiness.

Mr. George Asamoah Amankwa, a 49-year old farmer, who emerged the 2014 Best Farmer, received 100,000 dollars to put up a house at his place of choice, while Nana Obeng Wiako III of Upper Denkyira and Mr. Yaw Gyan from Wenchi, placed second and third respectively.