Ghana appeals for more support from IFAD
Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has appealed to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to increase its assistance to rural communities to create other forms of employment to absorb labour released from farming.
He commended the activities of the United Nations Agencies in Ghana, for their support to the economy but also observed that the absence of other more agri-business activities apart from farming had made many the youth swarmed in the cities for non-existent jobs.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the appeal when Dr Felix Kanayo Nwanze, the recently re-elected President of the Rome-based organization, led a delegation to call on him at the Flagstaff House, at Kanda, in Accra.
The IFAD President is in Accra to attend the Sixth Africa Agricultural Science Week and the Forum for Agriculture in Africa, which is taking place at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur mentioned among other things the need for guaranteed markets for farmers as an encouragement.
He reiterated Government’s support to farmers for enough productivity and commended the IFAD for teaming up with Government to support a number of projects.
Dr Nwanze gave a plus to Ghana as an important model for IFAD’s progammes and expressed appreciation to the Government and People of Ghana, for giving out a building in Accra to house the IFAD and the Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
He said Ghana had been pivotal in translating some of its programmes into reality, adding that the IFAD had 16 projects in Ghana, including rural financing.
Dr Nwanze asked the African political leadership to create the enabling environment for the growth of the small grower, and encourage the development of rural cities with basic social infrastructure like reliable water supply, good roads and electricity.
He said they must also assist the small grower to have markets, in addition to the provision of subsidies for more outputs.
Mr Clement Humado, Ghana’s Food and Agricultural Minister, announced that Government had a very high commitment to the development of agriculture, but gradually exiting from subsidies.
Source: GNA