Former Agriculture Minister Advocates for Presidential-Led Agricultural Management Team
In a bid to foster sustainable agricultural growth and robust agribusiness in Ghana, former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, is proposing the establishment of a dedicated Agricultural Management Team (AMT) to be chaired by the President himself, aiming to drive the nation’s food ecosystems.
Recognizing the unique demands of the agriculture sector, Dr. Afriyie Akoto contends that the direct involvement of the President as the chairperson of the proposed AMT is essential to salvaging and elevating the industry.
The suggested AMT is envisioned to encompass seven ministries directly related to agriculture, namely: Food & Agriculture, Finance, Trade & Industry, Lands and Natural Resources, Transport, Local Government and Rural Development, and Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Despite agriculture being a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy, the sector faces numerous challenges, exacerbated by insufficient government funding for its development. Dr. Afriyie Akoto believes that the proposed approach, with the President at the helm of the AMT, would facilitate the transformation and modernization of Ghana’s agriculture sector.
Having served as the Minister of Food and Agriculture for nearly seven years, Dr. Afriyie Akoto emphasized the necessity of creating such a body during his address at the 70th-anniversary launch of the Faculty of Agriculture at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Even after leaving office, he continued to advocate for the establishment of the AMT, emphasizing the critical role it would play in overseeing Ghana’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto believes that the President’s oversight responsibilities in the agricultural ecosystem would expedite the implementation of policies for the desired growth.
Highlighting the significance of agriculture in the face of global challenges, he stressed that Ghana’s political independence, economic transformation, and the well-being of its youth hinge on prioritizing agriculture on the national agenda. Dr. Afriyie Akoto envisions the AMT, led by the President, as a key player in achieving agricultural transformation through well-defined visions and strategies.
These include creating alternative opportunities for foreign exchange earnings, mechanizing the sector, allocating increased public funding, enhancing productivity in smallholder farms, fostering growth in other sectors of the economy, contributing to a self-reliant, food-secure, wealthy, and healthy nation.
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