Techiman: The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has conducted a training session for leaders of its farmer groups to align the association with the government’s Feed Ghana programme. This initiative aims to enhance the agricultural sector’s transformation and modernisation.

According to Ghana News Agency, the programme was launched by President John Dramani Mahama to provide support and education to farmers in the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Ashanti Regions. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) partnered with PFAG, with additional support from the STAR Ghana Foundation, to facilitate this training. The trained leaders are expected to disseminate the acquired knowledge to other farmers within their regions.

Dr Benjamin Sarfo, Programme Officer of PFAG, emphasized the importance of educating farmers on government policies and initiatives to ensure they benefit from them. He praised the Feed Ghana programme, highlighting its potential to make farming more appealing and boost crop yields and food productivity.

Stephen Aidoo, the Techiman Municipal Director of Agriculture, outlined the advantages and incentive packages offered by the Feed Ghana programme. He encouraged farmers without a Ghana Card to acquire one, as it is necessary for enrolment in the programme. He also urged farmers to form community-level groups.

Aidoo explained that each farmer group, consisting of 15 to 40 members, needs to register and open a bank account. The programme supports the production and processing of various crops, including vegetables, rice, yam, soya beans, cassava, plantain, and poultry products. It also covers economic tree crops like mangoes, oil palm, coconut, cashew, and livestock farming.

The programme prioritizes agricultural infrastructure development, aiming to establish factories and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses. It also encourages crop development and plans to set up farmer service centers. The government intends to work with traditional authorities to secure land for interested youth.

Reverend Philip Kennedy Sam, the Bono Regional Crop Officer of MoFA, advised farmers to leverage the initiative to improve their socio-economic conditions. He encouraged them to engage with Agriculture Extension Agents to enhance their farming practices.