Public Agenda (Accra)
Selorm Amevor
22 August 2008
The Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) Presidential Candidate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom has said that a CPP led administration would introduce and expand specialized studies of rural economies and societies in order to shape public policy.
According to him, the absence of such specialized studies has contributed to the inability of stakeholders to draft appropriate policies and programmes suitable for both rural and urban areas in the country and this has contributed to the underdevelopment of the country.
Dr. Nduom was of the view that such specialized studies would inform his government and other stakeholders to appreciate the numerous problems and take steps to solve them.
He indicated that the University of Development Studies (UDS) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) would be provided with the necessary resource to embark on the studies.
In addition, the CPP government will provide adequate resources to various agricultural colleges and research institutes such as the Food Research Institute, the Crop Research Institute and the Soil Research Institute to enhance their support activities for the sector.
The CPP Presidential Candidate said this in Accra during an interactive session organized by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) in collaboration with other farmer- based organizations aimed at giving the various political parties the platform to spell out their programs for the Agricultural sector.
Dr. Nduom said there would be a restructuring of the sector to include a Food Distribution Board and Agricultural Marketing Agency. The board will focus on post-harvest issues such as preservation, processing and distribution to secure national food and nutritional security while the Agency would deal with income security for farmers, fishermen and allied workers.
He said the agency would also find domestic and international market for farmers, while the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would continue to support production through extension and technical services.
"We will introduce crop insurance schemes as part of a broad programme to improve farmers' access to credit," he added.
In addition, a CPP administration in collaboration with farmers would develop agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation systems, fish preservation and processing facilities, silos, kilns as well as electricity, telephones, water, roads and affordable houses.
He further indicated that they would develop a Farmers and Fishermen Income Security Scheme (FFISSH) to protect them against old-age poverty especially in rural and coastal areas.
The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia in his presentation said that the NDC as part of its vision would take steps to address the numerous land acquisition problems hampering the growth of the sector.
Mr. Asiedu said that the NDC government would develop schemes to ensure that landowners who are not using their lands would lease them to people interested in farming at a cost that would be beneficial to both groups.
In addition, they would establish Agricultural Services Centers across the country to enable farmers have access to farming equipments. The facility will also serve as a repairs and maintenance section for farming equipment.
The Chairman of the Manifesto Committee of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Akoto Osei said the current policies of the government have benefited the ordinary Ghanaian farmer.
According to him, the NPP under Nana Akufo-Addo would concentrate on the northern sector to resuscitate the cotton, sheanut and groundnut industry.
In his, address the General Secretary of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Mr. Bede Ziedeng said his party would embark on a green revolution which would ensure that the country benefits fully from the sector.
According to him, the DFP would ensure that the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) plays its major role in providing credit facilities for the farmers.
The leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr. Dan Lartey said a chunk of the budget would be injected into the sector to solve the numerous problems in the sector.
The President of the PFAG, Mr. Adam Nashiru said the aim of the program was to ensure that farmers would hold politicians accountable while in office.
According to him, the sector has suffered a lot of neglect over the years and the time has come for farmers to be taken serious in the country.
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