Farmers Urge Govt to Fast Track Seed Policy

By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu

The Apex Farmers Association of Ghana (APFOG) has urged government to hasten with the establishment of the National Seed Policy of the country to boost agriculture.

That they explained was the only way to ensure the continuous availability and access to quality seeds for members and other farmers to increase yields and incomes.

The association made the call at a one-day stakeholder workshop on Thursday in Accra aimed at advocating for the establishment of a national seed security stock.

The APFOG, is an umbrella body of Farmer Based organisations with over 3,500 members advocating for farmer friendly policies to increase agriculture production to enhance national food security.

According to the President of the Association Alhaji Mashiru Kadri, quality seeds are pre requisite to successful agriculture and constitute a major pathway for the achievement of national food security goals.

He urged the need for the availability and widespread availability and access to quality seeds adapted to the crop land to improve rural livelihoods.

Alhaji Kadri said the major challenge facing the APFOG members was the lack of improved quality seeds which was adversely affecting productivity levels incomes and standards of living.

He therefore urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to as a matter of urgency enforce existing regulations to enhance the continuous availability of high yielding seeds throughout the year.

The Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti Markwa in the Central Region Mr Abraham Dwuma Odoom who chaired the programme bemoaned the billions of dollars used in food importation while the country sits on 65 per cent of arable land.

We need to change the trend, that is why we are advocating for the constant supply of high quality yielding seeds to improve the lot of farmers, he added.

Mr Odoom stated that, his vision and dream was to ensure that farmers get the needed certified seeds to improve their livelihood, while assuring that he would continue to use his Common Fund to provide his constituents with the necessary support the Presidents Planting for Food programme.

The Deputy Director of Crop Services at MOFA Dr Solomon Gyan Ansah said the country cannot achieve food sufficiency if the farmers are not assisted to increase yield for the Buffer Stock companies to buy.

Read Full Story