'AYEKOO' TO OUR FARMERS

YESTERDAY, the annual National Farmers Day was held in Wa in the Upper West Region, as well as other selected places at the various regional and district levels to recognise the contribution of the agricultural sector to the country’s economy.
Introduced by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in 1985, the first celebration was held at Osino in the Eastern Region to reward farmers, fishermen, agro-processors and researchers for their hard work in rebuilding the farming sector and their year-round dedication to feeding the nation.
From a one-stop event in 1985, the celebration has, over the years, been widened in scope to include the regional and district levels and the prizes have been enhanced from mere certificates and farm inputs to a three-bedroom house for the ultimate winner.
The Daily Graphic congratulates successive governments on recognising the hard work of our farmers and fishermen and keeping faith with them all these years. Farming remains the most important occupation in the world for people cannot live without food. Other materials like cotton and wool, also come from plants and animals raised on farms and so nobody can underestimate the importance of agriculture to any economy.
Employing around 60 per cent of Ghana’s workforce, the agricultural sector is a labour-intensive one — and still the backbone of the Ghanaian economy, hence the decision by the government to make it the main driving force for economic growth, with the focus on promoting rural development through modernised agriculture.
Unfortunately, Ghana's agriculture is overly dependent on the small-scale farmer whose productivity is measured in terms of how much land or acreage he puts under cultivation and a good amount of rainfall coming at the right time.
But the combination of a rapidly growing population, greater pressure on land, erratic rainfall and resort to traditional farming practices continues to pose serious threats to sustainable agriculture.
For farming to be efficient and to be able to produce abundant food supply to adequately feed everyone in Ghana, it must be characterised by machinery, developed distribution systems which are adequate and widespread, and finally, farmers’ know-how to market their produce, not only in Ghana but also across Africa and the rest of the world.
The lack of agricultural data impedes effective planning and also raises serious concerns and so we call on the relevant ministries and agencies to team up with the Ghana Statistical Service to ensure effective data collection for planning purposes.
There are other challenges facing the Ghanaian farmer — some of them within government’s control, others without. The battle for a more even world trading order is ongoing — with the European Union, in particular, reluctant to remove agricultural tariffs and subsidies designed to protect their own farming industries.
Once Ghana derives much of its foreign exchange from exporting raw agricultural products, the EU action can effectively put a ceiling on her agricultural income. Essentially, we cannot compete. We, therefore, urge the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to intensify their lobbying for fair trading environment.
As we look forward to celebrating subsequent National Farmers Days, we must think of making use of scientific research to improve both our agricultural and industrial products in a manner that will make them penetrate international markets and bring greater wealth to this country. This way, we can be said to have enhanced agricultural production and productivity to lead us onto the path of growth and poverty reduction.