The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has initiated the registration process for farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) 2.0 programme, aimed at modernizing the agricultural sector with private-sector involvement.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, outlined the objectives and strategic elements of the PFJ 2.0 programme.
He detailed the basic requirements for farmer registration under PFJ 2.0, including access to land, possession of a valid Ghana card, and engagement or readiness to farm on prioritised commodities.
He urged farmers to contact their District Department of Agriculture or Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA) for registration.
“Together, we can work towards a more prosperous and sustainable agricultural sector in our beloved nation,” the Minister said.
Programme objectives
Dr. Acheampong explained that the programme would ensure food availability by supporting the production of 11 prioritized commodities. They are broilers, maize, tomato, cassava, rice, pepper, yam, sorghum, onion, plantain and soybean.
He emphasised that it would also reduce food price inflation through increased production and improved storage, promote import substitution by increasing production and processing of selected crops.
Additionally, he indicated, PFJ II would encourage exports by supporting the production of crops with export potential, and create jobs along the entire commodity value chains, benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector.
He noted that it would ensure food security and resilience by promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and maintaining a sufficient and resilient food supply during shocks like natural disasters or pandemics.
Strategic elements
Touching on the PFJ 2.0 strategic elements, he mentioned a credit system with zero interest on inputs, paid in-kind, accompanied by quality fertilizers, improved seeds and support services.
He cited the provision of storage and distribution infrastructure through warehouses and logistics for produce storage and distribution.
According to him, there are off-take arrangements or commodity trading for market and price stabilization through improved market access and raw material assurance for processing.
He added that a digitized platform for tracking the programme, offering support to farmers and other stakeholders, would be implemented.
The PFJ campaign was launched in 2017 to promote agricultural development for food security, increased productivity and production, import substitution, export promotion, and job creation, particularly for the youth.
The Minister, however, said implementation challenges had slowed the programme’s progress, necessitating a review.
Addressing challenges
To address these challenges and transform Ghana’s agriculture and food systems, Dr. Bryan revealed that he had engaged in consultative meetings with key stakeholders.
He said the discussions focused on new pathways to harness the potential of the food and agricultural sector, considering the impact of climate change, high input costs, food inflation, low yields and post-harvest losses on national food security and stability.
“The justification for the new strategy includes the fact that many smallholder farmers face difficulties in accessing credit due to reasons such as lack of collateral, inadequate financial literacy and perceived high risk in agricultural activities,” he said.
He stressed that subsidizing fertilizers and improved seeds had also put a significant financial strain on the government, potentially redirecting resources from other crucial sectors.
To overcome these limitations, he said, the government had introduced PFJ 2.0, a new agricultural model that supports the entire value chain, encouraging private-sector participation in targeted agricultural commodities.
He stressed that this strategy aims to transform agricultural value chains for economic development, ensuring resilience in the face of major challenges.
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