President John Mahama has launched the Feed Ghana Programme, a major government initiative aimed at boosting food production, reducing the country’s dependence on imports, and creating jobs across agriculture-related sectors.
At the official launch of the Feed Ghana Programme in Techiman, the capital of the Bono East Region on Saturday, April 12, the President outlined its various components and also stated that the initiative targets institutions, especially Senior High Schools, to venture into commercial farming.
Speaking at the launch, President Mahama said, “Feed Ghana is a development project, popularly referred to as Yeridua, to reduce imports from neighbouring countries. We’ll invest in controlled environmental farming, including the use of greenhouse technologies and urban and peri-urban agriculture.”
The first component of the programme is focused on backyard and community gardens. The President encouraged Ghanaians to grow vegetables in their homes to improve nutrition and reduce food costs.
“We will do backyard gardening,” he said. “Everybody will be encouraged to get some land near your house or behind your house and have a garden where you grow tomatoes, garden eggs, okra, onions, and pepper. We have done this before.”
He reminded the public of Ghana’s past experiences during the Operation Feed Yourself era.
Credit: joyonline