Mr. Yohanne Nii Armah Ashitey, Metropolitan Chief Executive for Tema, has encouraged the youth of Tema to take part in the youth for agricultural programme, which seeks to motivate the youth to accept and appreciate agriculture as a commercial venture.
He said the initiative will provide the youth with essential knowledge about farming that could lead to a full-time vocation.
The initiative also seeks to provide over 4,200 direct and indirect jobs and boosting the economy
Mr. Armah Ashitey was speaking at the 39th Municipal Farmers Day Celebration in Tema held at the Coca-Cola Park in Community Seven on the theme: “Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience.”
He stated that the critical role played by the fishermen and farmers in sustaining the nation’s food supply and food security could not be overlooked, hence the need to celebrate and honour their good works.
He said that the theme was carefully picked to voice out the vision and commitment to transform the agricultural landscape in Ghana through innovation, sustainability, and resilience.
He added that in delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security, it was vital to design a multi-stakeholder partnership between the Government, academia, and the private sector to support small-scale farmers and the entire agricultural value chain.
“Security and resilience in the agricultural sector are paramount for several reasons, such as guiding livelihood and economic growth. Our farmers, who are the heroes of our food production, rely on a secured and resilient environment to sustain their families and contribute to national developments.”
He said the shift towards smart solutions did not only address current challenges but also paved the way for a much more resilient and secure future.
He encouraged farmers to act smartly towards food safety by taking advantage of modern science and technology to increase crops and food yields and learn about food preservation techniques to boost productivity in the farming sector.
He mentioned that phase two of the planning for food and jobs initiative had been launched to address self-sufficiency in agricultural commodities, sustainable food security, import substitution, income and wealth creation through import and support services, storage infrastructure and logistics of data arrangements, and digitised management monitoring and evaluation.
He urged farmers to do their best and support the Government to achieve its goals of maintaining food security, reducing imports, promoting exports, and generating job opportunities, particularly among the youth.
GNA
