Ghana committed to transforming agriculture, ensuring food security – Vice-President
The Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has emphasised Ghana’s commitment to transforming agriculture, ensuring food security, and promoting inclusive economic growth.
She made the remarks during her keynote address at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, a major global forum on food and agriculture.
In her closing speech, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang paid tribute to Dr Norman Borlaug, whose belief that “no child should go to bed hungry” continues to inspire global efforts to end hunger. She said this principle should guide current strategies for agriculture and food security.
The Vice-President noted that agriculture remains central to Ghana’s development, with almost two out of every five Ghanaians relying on farming for their livelihoods.
However, she expressed concern that Ghana still spends over two billion US dollars annually on food imports, despite having the right climate and potential to produce most of its own food. “This must change,” she stressed.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang outlined President John Dramani Mahama’s vision for agricultural transformation through the Feed Ghana Programme.
The initiative focuses on improving 22 key crops and livestock value chains, including grains, legumes, vegetables, and tree crops.
The programme also seeks to tackle challenges in irrigation, storage, processing, digital technology use, cooperative farming, and access to markets, creating more opportunities for farmers and strengthening Ghana’s food systems.
