President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured that Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) Phase II will consolidate the gains made so far under the first phase.
Speaking at the launch of Phase II of the PFJ in Tamale, the President said the first phase launched in 2017 benefited over 2.7 million farmers and other value chain actors across the country under five broad modules: food crops; tree crops, also known as Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD); horticulture; livestock sector, known as Rearing for Food and Jobs; and mechanisation, under which the government sought to reduce drudgery in farming, partly through the establishment of Agriculture Mechanisation Centres throughout the country.
Under these modules, he said significant successes, including a relatively stable food security environment with food self-sufficiency in major food staples such as maize, cassava, and yam, have been recorded, albeit with some challenges.
Over the last six years of the program, there has also been an increased agricultural sector growth rate, from 2.7 percent in 2016 to an average of 6.3 percent from 2017 to 2021, and an improvement of nearly 50 percent in rice self-sufficiency in 2022, from 29.1 percent in 2016.
Other achievements of the first phase of PFJ are an increased fertiliser application rate from 8 kg/ha in 2016 to 25 kg/ha in 2022; increased distribution of certified seeds from 2,000 MT in 2016 to 36,000 MT in 2022 with increased private sector investment in the seed industry and; enhanced extension service delivery with the recruitment of 2,700 AEAs in 2018, among others.
Notwithstanding these successes, the PFJ Phase 1 encountered some limitations during implementation. These include: heavy financial burden on the government imposed by subsidies on seeds and fertilisers; limited adoption of the value chain approach; limited access to agricultural credit; low prioritization of national strategic stock; ineffective monitoring of input suppliers and distributors and; targeting of only smallholder farmers, President Akufo-Addo added
“Six years into the implementation of the program, I am delighted that we are here today for the launch of the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs program (PFJ 2.0). It may not sound too long, but the dynamics have changed and exacerbated our challenges on the agriculture front to warrant a strategic response such as the PFJ 2.0. Not only have adversities such as climate change and COVID-19, impacted agriculture globally but also lately the Russia-Ukraine war is a major cause for concern because of its tendency of disrupting global food supplies,” he said.
The President added that a reflection of the serious threat to food security globally found expression in the United Nations Food Systems Summit convened in September 2021 in New York. The recent Dakar II Summit which assembled African Heads of State and Governments to highlight the looming threat to food security in Africa and commit to country Compacts for addressing the threat head-on, constitute a timely call to action.
Ghana’s response to the clarion call, he declared, is evident by the launch of PFJ 2.0, which represents a strategic shift in the country’s agricultural development.
He commended the Minister for Food and Agriculture and his team for taking the initiative to review the implementation of the PFJ campaign, and to come out with the Phase II outlining very bold measures to accelerate the transformation of the country’s food system.
Transformative approach
The President described the redesigned PFJ as having the potential to accelerate the growth of the agricultural sector.
He said the new approach – input credit system – will address the challenges farmers face in assessing the necessary inputs to maximize their production potential and emphasized the government’s commitment to taking decisive steps towards addressing these challenges, particularly financial constraints which he said continue to hinder farmers’ access to inputs.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our nation’s agricultural development as we gather here to launch the Input Credit System—an initiative that holds immense potential to accelerate the growth of our agricultural sector. This system represents a transformative approach towards empowering our farmers, enhancing productivity, and fostering sustainable agricultural development in Ghana,” he stated.
Explaining further, the President stated that the input credit system under phase II will provide affordable and timely credit specifically designed to meet the needs of farmers. Through this system, “we aim to improve access to agricultural inputs, foster the adoption of modern farming practices and technologies, and ultimately catapult our agricultural sector to new heights”.
The initiative is a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to the growth and prosperity of farming communities. By providing credit to farmers, the government is empowering them to make informed choices and invest in the inputs that will significantly boost their productivity.
“We understand that increased agricultural productivity is the cornerstone of economic growth, rural development, and poverty reduction,” Mr. Akufo-Addo highlighted, adding that the benefits of the Input Credit System are far-reaching.
Among other things, he said it will contribute to the overall stability of the food supply, promote financial inclusion, and enable farmers to build credit histories and access formal financial services that were previously out of reach.
Meanwhile, to ensure the success of this system, he said there will be an emphasis on building institutional solid frameworks, fostering public-private partnerships, and providing the necessary support to farmers.
There will also be a focus on capacity building and extension services, equipping farmers with the knowledge and skills needed to utilize the inputs and implement improved farming practices effectively.
Another approach under the new system is the commitment to implementing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, where he said measures will be put in place to track the impact of this system, allowing the government to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve its effectiveness.
“I am also cognizant of the need to address potential challenges in implementing the input credit system. We will work diligently to establish fair interest rates, ensure transparent loan repayment mechanisms, and guarantee that credit is accessible to all farmers, including women and youth. We are committed to minimizing the risk of over-indebtedness and providing proper financial management training to our farmers,” he further assured.