It is yet another special occasion for farmers that smacks of a distinct sense of déjà vu. The celebration still happens to be the albatross that feeds into the culture of mediocrity and poverty amongst farmers. The celebration should therefore be made to mark a landmark moment that gives cognitive reflection to the state of agriculture and the welfare of farmers.
In Ghana, agriculture is predominantly practiced on smallholder, family-operated farms using rudimentary technology to produce about 80 percent of the country’s total agriculture output. It is estimated that about 2.74 million households operate a farm or keep livestock. About 90 percent of farm holdings are less than 2 hectares in size. This explains why Ghana faces the challenge of making substantial progress in food security because average yields have remained stagnant.
Would the occasion again become nothing more than a flamboyant style of appreciating and encouraging the role of farmers in the country where the ordinary man and farmers themselves still reel under the threats of hunger? Farmers’ day celebration has been made to be a political event where politicians jostle for media attention instead of using the day for the pronouncement of strategic policy framework to boost the confidence of ordinary peasant farmers and resuscitate the lost hope of those in solid grips of extreme poverty and hunger.
Considering the compelling theme “Grow more food”, it is as if the ordinary farmer is thoroughly bereft of any memory where more foods are produced only to rot. The theme is nothing new to the farmer. They grow food, sometimes more than required and are left to needlessly rot. In a more appropriate manner, we will advice that the celebration instills a sense of change amongst policymakers and incumbent governments.
The challenges of agriculture in the country are diverse and complex. It is for this reason why Osagyefo Network for Rural Development (OSNERD) is of the view that these challenges are best addressed when smallholder farmers are rendered potent enough to expand production. How can this be? By virtue of the fact that majority of farmers operate on smallholder basis, it is prudent to bring these farmers together as groups. These farmers have not been included in policies to enhance their businesses in the liberalized market contexts. Apart from home-grown problems, these farmers are left to unfavourably compete with cheap imported produce.
The price paid to farmers for their products has always been very low. In most cases, price policies have consequently punished farmers in order to benefit the urban clients of the ruling parties. There are indeed no protection measures to help improve the livelihood of the smallholder. How then can the farmer be made to grow more food?
It is for these reasons that OSNERD bemoans the essence of this celebration year after year without lessons. OSNERD believes it is unacceptable that farmers are classified amongst the core poor in society. The government can introduce and upgrade efficient initiatives to upscale agriculture production. First, the government should rejuvenate the practice of farmers’ interest groups. These interest groups exist but are not potent to improve the livelihood of farmers. When discussing the role of agriculture cooperatives in rural development we are of necessity talking about the role of agriculture in development. Cooperatives provide the opportunity for poor farmer to raise their incomes; they are democracies empowering people to own their own solutions; they increase security for the members; and they contribute directly and indirectly to primary education for children, gender equality and reducing child mortality.
This means that the ordinary farmer must be able to access sufficient land and affordable credit and develop knowledge and techniques. The farmer needs to access adequate market information and networks to offload their produce. In essence, subsistence farming does not provide scope for cooperative development and contributes little to food security and consequently poverty reduction. ‘Grow more food’ in its raw form does not solve the problem because the National Best Farmer would be selected and that ends it all. The threats to food security are on the ascendancy simply because the interests of smallholder farmers in the rural area have been neglected for so long.
Again, OSNERD would underline the urgent need for the government and concerned private groups to help strengthen the assets of farmers i.e. strengthen material assets, such as land and sophisticated machineries, as well as immaterial assets such as abilities and knowledge. The use of rudimentary technology including the use of cutlass and hoe to farm in the 21st century should be discouraged with the introduction and widely circulated use of proper technology like combine harvesters, to mention but a few. We have to encourage the rapid development of science and technology in agriculture especially when climate change brings its own unique problems. These are paramount if agriculture is to offer any guarantee for increased food production. Government, non-governmental organizations and international development agencies should help make agriculture lucrative and productive for the ordinary farmer and the country respectively. Ghana has no basis to rest on its laurels when agriculture still contributes enormously to GDP, employment generation and economic output.
OSNERD at this very platform congratulates our farmers on their gallant display of hardwork and determination amidst profound challenges inherent in the agriculture sector. We say Ayekoo!
OSNERD is an NGO based in Kumasi. Contact: info@osnerdghana.org OR the National Coordinator, Stephen Yeboah [stephenyeboah110@yahoo.com]
