Government must be intentional about agricultural investment – Prof. Asante

A professor at the University of Ghana (UG) has urged the government to adopt deliberate and sustained measures to transform the agricultural sector, indicating that failure to act could worsen food insecurity and unemployment.

Professor Felix Ankomah Asante, Pro Vice-Chancellor in charge of Research, Innovation and Development, said although agriculture employed nearly half of Ghana’s population and directly affected inflation and livelihoods, investment and policy commitments had not matched its critical importance.

“We have to be intentional, but I do not see that intentionality in some of the issues. We are an agricultural economy. We know that when food prices go down, it touches on inflation, it touches on a lot of things,” he said.

Prof. Asante was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the National Demo Day of the Fourth Cohort of the Student Venture Support Programme (SVSP).

The event, organised by the Innovation Unit of UG’s Research and Innovation Directorate, showcased student-led agribusiness and food innovation enterprises.

Since its launch in 2022, the SVSP has empowered more than 400 student entrepreneurs nationwide, fostering innovation and supporting impactful business ideas.

Prof. Asante noted that while government had shown bold commitment in health initiatives such as the Agenda 111 hospitals project, similar large-scale efforts were missing in agriculture.

“Why do we wait for people to get sick before we treat them? Have we come out with an agricultural programme to the quantum of what we are doing in health?” he asked.

“If we reduce aflatoxin in maize and groundnuts, medical cases such as kidney problems will decline. We must tackle the root causes,” he said.

Prof Asante said climate change and poor storage infrastructure were compounding challenges, causing heavy post-harvest losses.

“Poor rainfall means poor harvest. If we want to be food secure, then in times of good harvest, we need to process and store food for longer periods,” he said.

Prof. Asante cautioned that continued neglect could erode Ghana’s agricultural foundation: “If people are cutting their cocoa farms to do galamsey, government cannot stop them. One day we’ll wake up and there will be no cocoa in this country.”

He called on policymakers to prioritise innovation, youth entrepreneurship, and value addition in agriculture to ensure food security, reduce unemployment, and safeguard economic stability.

Awards were presented to deserving students-led agribusinesses.

Pure Lube (University for Development Studies), producers of affordable grease from cashew nut shells, emerged winner with GH¢50,000.

Fitroot Ghana (University of Ghana),  which promotes healthy eating through Baobab-Pineapple Swirls and Hibiscus-Tigernut Cream Pops, was the second with GH¢30,000.

Jespark Foods (University of Cape Coast), which turns culturally rooted foods into shelf-stable products, took the third position with GH¢20,000.

Mushplus Agri-Foods Ltd (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), processor of nutritious mushroom-based porridge, was the fourth with GH¢5,000.

Source: GNA

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