AGRIFA 2011 LAUNCHED IN ACCRA

Government has assured farmers of its commitment to ensuring that future agricultural policies and research will be geared towards developing agricultural institutions in a bid to match the new technological improvement in production, processing and distribution of agricultural products.

This was disclosed by the Vice President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama in a speech read on his behalf at the opening of the Agricultural Fair (AGRIFA ) 2011 in Accra.

Speaking on the theme, “Promoting Local Agricultural Produce With Appropriate Technology: Key to Ghana’s Socio- Economic Development.” He said government realizes the role of agriculture in promoting growth and poverty reduction in Ghana hence there is the need to support the sector to create more jobs to raise over a million Ghanaians out of poverty in 2015.

The influx of foreign agricultural produce unto the local market as a result of trade liberalization tends to undermine the capacity of the local farmers as capital needed to invest in new technologies and agricultural land development to compete is not readily available, He added.

Mr Mahama therefore called on civil socities and organizations, the Private Sector, the Media and all stakeholders in the agricultural sector to play their roles respectively in order to achieve this development.

Nii Amasa Namoale, Deputy Minister for Food and Agricultural addressing the gathering said Agriculture which used to be the largest contributor to Ghana’s Gross Domestic  Product (GDP) has relinquished its position to the services sector due to a decrease in the share of the sector to national output. He said the sector recorded a slight decline from 30.4% in 2006 to 30.2% in 2010 whereas the Services Sector increased from 48.8% in 2006 to 51.1% in 2010. Agricultural growth also decreased from about 7.4% in 2008 to 4.8% in 2010.

The slow growth of the sector is as a result of a number of factors that reduce farmers incentives to invest and produce amongst which are lack of technological change, poor basic infrastructure, access to market and proper irrigation and mechanization development and management.

He however complimented the efforts of government to improve the sector through its policies in modernizing agriculture to enhance food security and stabilize food prices. Some of these policies include buffer stock management, fertilizer subsidy, livestock and fisheries development, irrigation and mechanization systems development.  Some strategies which have been put in place to develop the sector include the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (FASDEP II) and the Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP II) which is being spear headed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, (MOFA).

The National Planning Committee Chairman of AGRIFA 2011, Mr Philip Abayori, said the fair which is an initiative of the Agricultural Trade and Investment Promotion Center is aimed at promoting, packaging and marketing local Agricultural produce for the local market to encourage their patronage. The fair is also to compliment governments effort to ensuring production of local agricultural produce for national food security by providing the needed publicity to farmers and fishermen to promote their produce. He said the fair will offer all exhibitors and investors the opportunity to expand their business which will encourage investors to invest in the agricultural sector to support value addition and increase profitability. 

The fair is expected to attract over 50,000 visitors to the site to patronize locally manufactured produce from farmers across the regions.

AGRIFA 2011, sponsored by INDAGRO, Ghana Life Insurance Company, Star Assurance, PHC Motors, Redif, Stanbic Bank, Agricultural Insurance Programme, Produce buying Company and All time Capital is scheduled for October 14 to 22, 2011 at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre, La.