Ghana has not imported maize for past five years due to the government’s continuous support to the sector, the deputy agriculture minister Yaw Frimpong Addo, has said.
Addo said over the period, the government has put in a lot to boost production of maize.
Appearing on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (29 November) in Koforidua ahead of this year’s National Farmers’ Day celebration, Addo said the government is committed to ensuring food sufficiency in the country.
“Our duty as a ministry was to increase production which to a large extent we have succeeded. Since 2017, we haven’t imported a grain of maize into this country,” he said.
“There are several stages in agriculture that an investor can add value. For us, it’s the private sector that has to be encouraged to support us.
“There’s a close collaboration between the ministry and the researchers. There’s a lot of variety that we’re giving farmers to increase yields,” Addo said.
This year, the celebrations at the regional level have been restored as a cost-cutting strategy to ease the financial burden on the 16 regional coordinating councils, which hitherto bore the cost of travel expenses, accommodation and lodging of regional award winners and other accompanying officials to participate in the celebration at the national level.
There will be five regional award categories per region, namely: Regional Best Farmer; Regional Best Livestock Farmer; Regional Best Crop Farmer; Regional Best Fisher and Regional Best Agricultural Extension Agent.
The district award categories have been revised from six to three per district, namely: District Best Farmer; District Best Livestock Farmer and District Best Crop Farmer.
The districts that have the financial wherewithal to cater for additional award categories are, however, advised to do so at their own expense.