The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Eric Opoku, has been honoured with the Honorary Ambassador of Agenda 2063 by the Office of the Special Envoy to the African Union, in recognition of his outstanding leadership in agricultural transformation and commitment to advancing food security in Ghana and Africa.He was also presented with the Diplomatic Medal of Merit in Agricultural Transformation and Food Security in Accra on Friday, acknowledging his contribution to sustainable development on the continent through agriculture.The Head of Delegation of the AU Agenda 2063 Ambassador-General Assembly, Dr Stephen Gbatigbi Ben-Joel, commended Mr Opoku for aligning Ghana's agricultural strategies with Agenda 2063, which envisions a self-sufficient, food-secured Africa that is competitive on the global stage.According to the envoy, the Minister's leadership has not only revitalised the country's food systems but also transformed agriculture into a viable tool for economic empowerment and continental progress.He cited the Minister's initiatives in rice cooperation, seed sovereignty, irrigation, and cooperative farming as exemplary models of African-led solutions. "You have turned fields into engines of economic growth," he remarked.Plans were also unveiled to partner with Ghana in setting up rice farmer clusters, industrial rice mills, and storage facilities under a product-for-payment model to enhance food sufficiency.The Assembly said Mr Opoku's work reflects the core ideals of African solutions to African challenges and pledged continued collaboration to support Ghana's agricultural development.In his acceptance remarks, the minister dedicated the honours to Ghanaian farmers, policymakers, and agricultural stakeholders, describing the award as a testament to their collective effort.He noted government's 'Feed Ghana' programme, aimed at making agriculture the engine of the country's economic transformation through deliberate, community-led action, as the anchor around which the agric sector would revolve, disclosing that over 120 secondary schools, several churches, the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Prisons Service, and National Service Authority have all signed unto the initiative.The government, Mr Opoku stressed, wanted to shift from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation-based farming to ensure year-round production, adding that a rehabilitation of non-functional irrigation facilities were underway.He said that in anticipation of a bumper harvest, national food buffer stock systems were being expanded to store excess produce and build food security reserves against emergencies."Efforts are also underway to enhance market access for farmers through direct linkages with buyers and processors.
The Ministry is promoting local production of crops such as tomato, onion, and pepper, which are often imported," he indicated.To achieve seed sovereignty and reduce dependency on imports, Mr Opoku told the delegation that the Ministry, in collaboration with international partners including KOPIA and KIAT, JICA, and the Netherlands government, was supporting local seed production through training, irrigation infrastructure, and renewable energy sources."A notable development is the ongoing Ejapa rice seed initiative, which is expected to yield over 10,000 tonnes of seed by 2027.
So when it comes to rice, by 2027, Ghana should be sufficient when it comes to rice seed.
Then apart from that, we also have JICA working in some of our areas," he assured.Mr Opoku said his outfit, with support from the FAO, was rehabilitating the national soil laboratory in Kumasi to meet international standards, to enable comprehensive soil testing across districts, addressing the long-standing issue of blanket fertilizer application and plans to deploy 10,000 agricultural extension officers to support farmers. BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI & CECILIA YADA LAGBA
