President Akufo-Addo has emphasized that the future of Ghana’s agriculture hinges on the youth.
According to the president, the government is reliant on the youths’ energy, novel concepts, and inventive approaches to enhance the overall prosperity of Ghana.
In light of this, he issued a passionate appeal to all young Ghanaians, regardless of their educational background, to unite in support of the government’s latest flagship program, “Youth in Agriculture.” He encouraged them to consider agriculture as a lifelong career choice.
He issued this call during his speech at the presidential conference regarding the “Youth in Agriculture” initiative, which took place on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana.
“Sustaining Ghana’s agriculture is dependent on the youth. The youth are the future of this country, and we count on their vibrancy, fresh ideas, and innovation to improve our collective fortune,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He added: “Agriculture, a major sector of the economy awaits the participation of the youth both educated and uneducated. This dialogue, this platform is a valuable step towards harnessing the potential of the youth to address the challenges in the agriculture sector. Realized, this will ensure the sustainable development of agriculture for the overall benefit of our country.”
The President underscored that the program’s design, centered on value-chain development, inherently presents expanded opportunities for the youth.
“To take advantage of this opportunity, I urge the youth to rally around this initiative (Youth in Agriculture) and form cooperatives and partnerships for the maximum benefit of the program.”
Regarding the state of the economy and the endeavors of his administration to restore economic stability and foster growth, President Akufo-Addo pointed out that there are evident indicators that the economy is progressing towards recovery. One of these signs is the downward trajectory of inflation.
“The prospects for the rebound are growing stronger and stronger. We are working hard to sustain this momentum. Inflation has reduced from 54.1% in December 2022 to 38.1% in September and there is every indication that by the end of the year, it will be around 27%. By the end of my tenure next year, 15%” the President stated.
On his part, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, clarified that the “Youth in Agriculture” initiative, integrated into the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program, is structured to facilitate the entry of the younger generation into agriculture with minimal challenges.
“Our invitation to young people to go into agriculture is not a hole and cutlass business. Through the collaboration between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the YEA under the banner, “PFJ 2.0 Youth in Agriculture,” we are going to put 200,000 youth into permanent work in agriculture with each individual cultivating an average farm size of 10 acres” Bryan Acheampong said.
“This will mean putting 400,000 hectares of arable land under cultivation. The target commodities under this intervention would include maize, rice, and vegetables.
“However, if we put all the 400,000 hectares of land under rice cultivation alone, we will exceed our food self-sufficiency production target of 1.8 million metric tonnes in two years instead of the five-year plan under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme” the Food and Agriculture Minister added.
The Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) represents an agricultural sector initiative by the Government of Ghana (GOG) designed to inspire and encourage young individuals to view farming and food production as viable commercial enterprises, thereby choosing agriculture as a lifelong career.
The YIAP is entrusted with the role of mobilizing young people to embrace farming and its related activities as a lifelong pursuit. This approach offers several advantages, such as employment opportunities for the youth, the provision of tractor services, and the supply of agricultural inputs.
The overarching objective of the Youth in Agriculture Programme is to cultivate a mindset among the youth that views farming as a lucrative business endeavor. It aims to generate substantial income to address farmers’ personal and domestic needs, enhance the quality of life for young individuals through increased income, encourage them to remain in rural areas by providing inputs at their farm gates on a credit basis without interest, and employ modern techniques to produce an ample supply of food crops, meat, and fish.
The Youth in Agriculture encompasses four main components: Crops/Block Farm, Livestock and Poultry, Fisheries/Aquaculture, and Agribusiness. This initiative is open to individuals interested in farming, groups of young men and women within the community eager to engage in agriculture, and institutions dedicated to farmer training.