My gov’t inherited mere 2.9% agric growth from NDC, keeps 5.9% average growth for 6 years – Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has touted the country’s agricultural growth under his government.
He said the sector has maintained an average growth rate of 5.9% over the past six years, up from the 2.9% his government inherited in 2017.
The President said this on Thursday, October 26, 2023, when he held a meeting with Ghana’s international partners to discuss one of our nation’s most important sectors – the food and agriculture sector.
Commendation
President Akufo-Addo applauded Ghana’s development partners for their longstanding commitment to the country’s economic progress.
The commitment, he noted, has contributed significantly to making agriculture a major driving force behind the growth of the Ghanaian economy,
Planting for Food and Jobs
He said the second phase of the Programme for Planting for Food and Jobs is poised to continue the transformation of Ghana’s agricultural landscape. “We have shifted our approach from a subsidy policy to an input credit system that accommodates all participants in the agricultural value chain,” he said.
Commercial agriculture
President Akufo-Addo said the programme’s design places strong emphasis on commercial agriculture, with a cascading effect on all stakeholders, from production to processing, distribution, and marketing. “This comprehensive approach will stimulate economic activities within the sector, generate employment, support industrialisation, boost exports, increase incomes, foster rural development, and propel overall economic growth,” he emphasised.
Food security
The President anticipated that, by the end of the five-year implementation period, Ghana will have achieved enhanced food security, and established a strong comparative advantage in the production of diverse cash and food crops and poultry products. “Additionally, we aim to leverage competitively the opportunities presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA),” he stated.
