He claims the new agricultural policy formulated by government excludes the peasant farmers since the policy would only favour the educated elites.
Speaking on the Big bite show on Xfm 95.1, he disclosed that the small-scale farmers contribute about 85% of agricultural productivity and virtually provide a large quantity of agricultural produce in the country.
Ibrahim Akalbila explains that though it is prudent for educated people to be talked into agriculture, it however should not be at the expense of the small-scale farmers. He believes the awareness about how to fertilize crops and undertake the proper steps to ensure a high cocoa production championed by COCOBOD could as well be carried out at the food and crops sector.
According to him, instead of eliminating small-scale farming, certain methods could be adopted into the agricultural sector to boost food and crop production. He suggests government should allocate adequate resources to support agriculture, especially small-scale farming.
He says government should extend her budget to cover agriculture and provide the farmers with the basic needs and technical know-how. This he admits would revive the food and crops sector.
He added that government’s commitment to agriculture is not up to the max claiming that what the government seeks to do is to “skew the little” that the peasant farmers earn and direct it to the benefit of the “so-called graduates”.
Though the Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition does not rule out the importance of the farmers’ day, the Coalition however wants government to first create a conducive environment which would benefit all farmers in the country and when this is achieved, government can then award the farmers who excel out of the conducive environment.
Contrary to this, Ibrahim Akalbila says agriculture has not been lucrative and productive enough and as a result only the medium-scale or large-scale farmers benefit from the farmers’ day.
He appealed to the government and appropriate authorities to enhance the agricultural sector and also provide quality service which would include all farmers in the country but not just few ones.
Vice President John Mahama at the just ended farmers’ day celebration announced government’s determination to modernize agriculture to the lot of the farming community and Ghanaians in general saying, “these are the days of modern agriculture… the days hoe and cutlass agriculture are largely over”.
Story by Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/X fm 95.1/Accra/Ghana
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