Private sector urged to support Planting for food and jobs

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) have called on the private sector to get involved in agricultural development.

According to them, the private sector has an important role to play in the development of agriculture, especially in the ministry’s planting for job initiative.

This was made known at the Feed the Future implementing partners meeting held in Accra under the theme: ‘Sustaining the Momentum to Finish Strongly’.

USAID Ghana Mission Director, Mr Andy Karas, said the implementation began in 2013 and has since resulted in measurable gains and has doubled the income of farmers in the northern part of Ghana.

“Since Feed the Future started in 2013, our progress has been very encouraging. In the Northern Region, we have made significant progress with poverty and nutrition goals.

“Vulnerable families accessing opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive. I cannot overstate that these achievements would not have been possible without everyone here today,” he said.

He added that USAID will be looking forward to work with the Food and Agricultural Ministry when the Planting for Jobs’ initiative begins because the project has similar features just as they also do.

He disclosed that the key areas of the project involving seedlings, fertiliser, marketing, extension and E-Agric, have similar targets with their ‘Feed the Future Project’ and would be hoping to collaborate with the ministry.

A Representative of the Minister for Food and Agriculture and USAID Embedded Advisor, Mr Kwesi Korboe, was also of the view that private sector involvement in the agricultural sector is crucial.

He said the ministry has set up an agribusiness unit to engage the private sector in favourable investment in the industry.

He said agric serves both social and economic needs but one unfortunate issue is that the private sectors are not ready to come on board to be partners.

He mentioned that the ministry will collate database of farmers and ensure efficient farming and also encourage the private sector to grow as part of their commitment to the development of the sector.