The Tano South Municipal Directorate of the Department of Agriculture plans to enrol 6,000 farmers in 2024 for the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ 2.0) programme.
According to Mr. Paul Addai, Tano South Municipal Director of the Department of Agriculture, his organisation is embarking on a series of community engagements to raise awareness of the PFJ 2.0 and enrol as many farmers as possible on to the programme to ensure its success and positive impact on both the local and national economies.
Mr. Paul Addai added that PFJ 2.0 would build on the success of PFJ 1, focusing on crops and commodities like maize, rice, sorghum, soybean, tomato, pepper, onion, cassava, yam, plantain, and poultry.
He emphasised that the programme aims to reduce dependence on imported food products by promoting domestic production of the eleven commodities, as well as to promote sustainable agricultural practices and ensure food sufficiency and resilience in the face of global shocks.
He stated that another outcome of the programme is price stability and increased supply of food in the market, as well as boosting exports by supporting increased production to meet required standards. He emphasised that the second phase is the introduction of Aggregators, who will be responsible for providing production inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, and chemicals, as well as mechanisation and extension services to ensure that farm produce is equivalent to the cost of inputs and other services.
Story By: Kwaku Mensah Abrampa
