Invest more in Vegetable production – AHEFS urges Government

Chairman of Agency For Health And Food Security (AHEFS) Mr. Kwaku Asante has advocated increased investment in Ghana’s vegetable sector. He says vegetable production in Ghana is constrained by weak value chain linkages due to uncoordinated actors.

He is worried serious priority is not being given to vegetable production in Ghana, hence the week value chain linkages.

Mr. Asante was speaking on the sidelines of a training workshop on Strengthening Agriculture Value Chain Economics For Sustainable Development in Sunyani.

The workshop was organized for Alliance members from SDG 2 platform on “How to advocate effectively”. The workshop which was organized by the Agency For Health And Food Security focused on Strengthening Weak Agriculture Value Chain in Ghana.

According to Mr. Asante, Ghana has comparative advantage to export more vegetables to the global market yet the non-existence of key agricultural infrastructure and non-application of new innovations make it impossible for farmers to supply Ghana and the rest of Africa with enough food.

He indicated that South Africa and Kenya export a lot of agricultural produce to the European market despite their long distance from Europe, and wondered why Ghana is unable to do same. Mr. Asante said these countries are able to make significant impact on the European market because there are efficient and systematic structures such as new innovations, new policies and more investments in agriculture by government and encouraged Ghana to do same.

He said as a first step, it is necessary for the government to include Private sector in policy formulation.

“AHEFS as a member on SDG 2 platform to help end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture will do everything possible to contribute to and strengthen the value chain systems within the vegetable sector,” he indicated.

He pointed out that agriculture accounts for about 60 % of export earnings and directly or indirectly supports 80% of the total population economically through farming, distribution of farm products and provision of other services to the agricultural sector, hence the need for it to be prioritized.

Mr. Asante said “there is no doubt that good policies remain one of the most important inputs in agricultural production in Ghana apart from labour”.

For his part, Dr. Anthony Mainoo who is Deputy Director -Food Security and Natural Resources expressed concern over why some anti-technology civil society groups had sought to thwart the efforts by scientists to help improve agriculture through innovation. He says these rebellion against innovation is undermining the food security efforts of the country.