Mpohor MP advocates for robust policies to attract youth into agriculture

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Mpohor Constituency in the Western Region, Mr Alex Agyekum has advocated for a robust Agricultural Policies gearing towards the improvement of the living conditions of farmers in the country to encourage or attract the teeming youth to the sector.

He said he is glad the current NPP government is implementing many robust agricultural policies like the Planting for food and jobs which will encourage the youth to involve in agriculture in Ghana.

Mr Agyekum said this at the 34th Farmers' Day celebration under the theme "AGRICULTURE, GHANA BEYOND AID" at Angu a farming community in the Mpohor District

The NPP's MP also said failure of successive governments to introduce agriculture policies that will improve the lifestyle of farmers is the main cause of the unwillingness of today's youth to engage in farming.

He warned the people in the District of a looming critical competition like Palm, Rubber and Coconut plantations in the District that may lead to food crises in the area in the near future and hinted that more investors are trooping in the District to acquire lands hitherto being used for food crops production to establish Rubber and Palm kernel factories under the One District, One Factory (1D,1F) which to him is also not a bad ventures but pleaded with the Chiefs to be careful in the disposal of farmlands in the District for such large commercial activities.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Mr Ignatius Asaah Mensah in his speech commended the MP for lobbying for rehabilitation of some deplorable roads in the District linking farmlands to the market centres that will assist the farmers to easily transport their produce to the market and also pledged his unflinching support for him together with the District Security Council (DISEC) to fight illegal sand winning activities that cause the deplorable states of the roads.

He said it is the vision of His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that Ghana's development depends on agriculture and therefore the NPP government preaching of 'Ghana Beyond Aid' means Ghanaians will no longer import agric product in order to save money for other developmental agenda like the Free SHS and Planting for Food and Jobs.

He continued that the theme of this year's Farmer's Day "AGRICULTURE, GHANA BEYOND AID" has been successful to farmers in the District, saying under the 'Planting for food and Investment' it is the government vision to diversify from Cocoa production to other productions like Rubber, Palm, Rice, Pepper cucumber among others and therefore advised the farmers for Free improved hybrid seedlings of Rice, Pepper, Cucumbers, Cocoa among others that are available for free collection.

He said four hundred thousand (400,000) Cocoa seedlings were distributed Free for the farmers and also in collaboration with B.O.P.P, NORPALM, SULFINA more highly improved Palm seedlings are available for those who are interested in Palm plantation.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Mr. Ignatius Ansah Mensah also commended the Government for placing NABCO graduands to the District Agric Office as extension officers to assist the farmers and pledged that the Assembly will soon renovate some of the Agric buildings to be occupied by the NABCO staffs.

He bemoaned the unwillingness of the farmers to purchase fertilizers which the government has subscribed at 50% and said so far in the Western Region only 0.04% that is less than 1% of the available fertilizers have been collected which to him not a good news.

He mentioned that a GNPC Rice Plantation is underway at Botodwina a farming community in the District through the efforts of him and the MP.

The District Director of Agric, Mr Enoch Smith koranteng in a brief speech commended the government for the Planting for Food and Jobs, which he has so far registered 3,000 farmers and also the placing of NABCO graduands as extension officers to the District to train the farmers.

He praised the Minister for Agriculture in fighting the Falling Army worms to the minimal and encourage the farmers to come for Free insecticides to fight the worms if detected in their farms.

A 51-year old Physically Challenge, Kojo Nkrumah from Adum Trebuom emerged the District Best Farmer in food crops and the MP, Hon. Alex Agyekum awarded him personally with substantial amount of money and he also received other items from the organizers

The MP also donated some substantial amount of money from his own source to each of the 20 Award Winners with the overall winner and the two runners up receiving additional special donations from the MP aside of their awards.