Embrace technology to accelerate economic growth – Agric Minister

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has asked players in the agriculture sector especially farmers to embrace technology in the operation to increase the yield in a less stressful manner and help accelerate nation’s economic growth.

According to him, the use of technology will greatly lead the transformation of the agriculture sector.

For him, if farmers do not avert their minds to the use of technology which would lead to transformation, efforts being made to continue the Planting for Food and Jobs, the Rearing for Food and Jobs, Planting for Export & Rural Development among others will not be realised.

He said that the ambitious targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods and other commitments cannot be achieved if we relent on agriculture transformational efforts,

The sector Minister, represented by the Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (PPMED), Richard Twumasi-Ankrah announced this at the Market Oriented Agriculture Programme in North-Western Ghana (MOAP NW) 2nd Agribusiness Fair and Conference held in Wa, in the Upper West Region to enhance agricultural-related activities in the Northern sector.

The event on the theme; Boosting the Agribusiness Potential of Northern Western Ghana was organized in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, MOAP in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council (UWRCC).

The event also financed by the European Union (EU) and co-financed by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) was to contribute to improving the livelihoods of the people in the region.

It was aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and for the development of robust private sector at both the regional and the district levels.

Digitisation system

According to the minister, “digitalisation has become a necessary tool in the development of the agricultural sector in so many ways including extension and advisory services, promoting environmentally sustainable farming practices, disaster management, and early warning system, enhancing market access, food safety, and traceability, financial inclusion, insurance and risk management, capacity building and empowerment, among others”.

The Overlord of Wala Traditional Area, Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV stressed the need for more investment into the agriculture value chain activities to bring about development that would create jobs for the youths.