NOT IN OUR DESTINY TO SUFFER GLUT (SEPT 26, 2008)

THERE have been reports that tomato farmers in the southern part of the country are in a state of distress as a result of the glut that has pushed the price of the crop downwards.
Farmers in Keta, Tegbi, Woe, Anloga, Kasseh, Ada and surrounding communities have, in the last couple of months, seen the price fall from GH¢60 per crate to GH¢20, thereby disrupting the local economy.
It is quite unfortunate that anytime there is a glut of food items on our market, it turns out to be a curse, instead of a blessing.
Time and again we have been told that agriculture is the mainstay of the Ghanaian economy, but trends clearly reveal that as a people we are very content with producing raw materials, instead of adding value to those raw materials.
While no one seeks to dispute the fact that our economy is founded on agriculture, there are very serious doubts as to whether we have been able to maximise the gains from agriculture.
In an era when policies are being fashioned to encourage the youth to go into agriculture, it is baffling to note that produce from our farms can be virtually given away for free. Where, then, is the economic incentive for the youth to go into agriculture?
The present woes of tomato farmers in southern Ghana mirror the woes of other food crop farmers in the country and even sometimes fishermen.
The lack of processing plants in the country virtually compels us to limit ourselves to the consumption of primary agricultural produce. Thus, in times of glut, prices are unreasonably slashed or the produce is left to go waste, only for prices to shoot up through the roof in the lean season because we lack the policy initiatives to prepare for the rainy day.
Perhaps it is time the nation brought more practical meaning to the generally held belief that industrialisation is a core requirement for economic growth, especially for an economy founded on agriculture.
Erratic climatic trends even place a greater responsibility on us to draw policies to ensure that in times when the climate fails us there will be enough for local consumption.
But the government must continuously strive to meet farmers’ expectations by ensuring that adequate incentives are put in place to motivate farmers to produce more for local consumption and for export.
It is hoped that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture will collaborate with farmer groups to find out how storage facilities can be provided to ensure that agricultural produce, in the event of a glut, does not go waste.
This requires that a more scientific approach be adopted towards agriculture by way of crop production and preservation.
The time has come for us to move away from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation fields, as well as value addition to farm produce, in order to create wealth and jobs for those who love agriculture.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that given the critical role that agriculture plays in the Ghanaian economy, it should not be seen as the ‘forbidden job’.
It is important to recognise that agriculture provides employment for more than 50 per cent of Ghanaians, for which reason the preservation of its dignity will also mean preserving the dignity of a considerable mass of Ghanaian workers.