Still at the National Agricultural policy Dialogue held in Tamale, Prof. Gideon Danso-Abeam, at the Centre for Agriculture Productivity and Policy Studies (CAPPS), at the University for Development Studies (UDS) has lamented that government’s allocation of less than two percent (2%) of its national budget to the agriculture sector is worrying.
This he explained has potentials to affect agricultural productivity as well as posing threats to food, nutrition and income securities across the country.
Making a presentation for his team at the UDS’s CAPPS, on the 2024 National Budget Review on Agricultural Policy Interventions in Ghana, Prof Danso-Abeam said it was necessary for the government to prioritize agriculture by ensuring that more resources are not only budgeted for, but allocated and actual spending is realized.
Former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in reading the 2024 budget in November last year said 1 billion Ghana cedis had been allocated in addition to 2 billion cedis expected from the Development Bank to bolster the agricultural sector.
The Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation enjoins governments in the African Union membership to spend up to 10 percent of their annual National budgets on the agric sector to enhance food security and sustainability however, achieving this desired goal, require political will and commitment through policy makers advancing adequate resources for implementation on the ground.
In contrast, Prof Danso-Abeam said budgets, allocation as well as disbursement across the country for the agricultural sector across the country was very low and a reversal will require continuous advocacies by actors including the legislature, CSOs including the media to ensuring that the situation improves.
Prof. Danso-Abeam urged that Farmer Based organisation (FBOs) should deepen their activities and also for farmers to make conscious efforts to purchase Agri-inputs from only accredited agents and distributors. He further urged the stakeholders to continuously demand accountability from policy makers and implementers.
Giving an Overview on Agricultural Policy Interventions in Ghana, Dr. Richard Tweneboah- Kodua from the National Development Planning Commission, (NDPC) mentioned the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ Phase Two) which require adequate input supplies and other investments that potentially may turn things around for the country and its people particularly farmers.
He catalogued that under the Agenda for Jobs the NDPC had put in place measurable indicators such as; the percentage change in Agro processing established, total volume and value of agric commodities, improved public-private investments, percentage of cultivated lands under irrigation and how technology had been deployed.
Dr. Tweneboah-Kodua encouraged various sectors under the economy including Agriculture sector to regularly report thoroughly on their sector’s activities to enable the Commission assesses their levels of progress.
Story By: Nelson Nyadror Adanuti |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana
