The Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of crops, Hon Dr. Yakubu Alhassan, has urged Ghana’s Non-State Actors (NSAs) in agric, to strengthen and energize Africa’s agricultural value chain for a sustainable production.
According to the Minister, such effort will boost the food security situation in Africa in order to fit into the aggressive global agribusiness environment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two day sensitization workshop for Non-State Actors in Agric (NSAs) in Accra, Dr. Alhassan charged them to map out pragmatic measures that would help realize the “Malabo declaration” which is aimed at ending hunger and halving poverty by the year 2025, among others since to him, the NSAs are the key driving force in achieving such goals.
Africa Union Heads of State and Government during its 23rd Ordinary session held in Malabo in June 2014 adopted a remarkable set of concrete agric goals to be attained in 2025. The goals termed as “Malabo declaration” is a set of new goals showing a more targeted approach to achieve the agricultural vision for the continent which is shared prosperity and improved livelihood.
The goals which include ending hunger in Africa and halving poverty by the year 2025 among others could according to the Deputy Minister, be achieved through a vibrant partnership between the NSAs and the Public Sector since the public sector regulates for Private sector to control.
Hon. Dr. Yakubu Alhassan, noted that Africa has the finest opportunity to increase food production and take its agribusiness on a higher level on the basis that about 70% of global arable lands are in Africa.
“It is said that 70% of global arable lands suitable for agriculture is in Africa, at the same time our population in the world is suppose to reach 9 billion by 2050 and all hunger must leave Africa by the year 2025. These three factors present finest opportunities for African Agriculture, hence the need to march Agricultural growth with Economic growth.”
The two day Sensitization workshop which was organized by the Africa Lead and Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was aimed at sensitizing the Non-State Actors in Ghana’s Agriculture on the purpose, strategy and status of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and to draft Action Plan for areas in which NSA’s engagement in Ghana can be strengthened for the implementation of the Malabo declaration at the national level.
The Coordinator of CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition (CNC), Mr. Kop’ep Dabugat, from Tanzania, underscored the need for the NSAs to draft a hardheaded outline which will guide them in the realization of the Malabo declaration.
He called for the involvement of the youth and women in its activities to help identify and achieve the national priorities and goal pathways.
The Chairperson of the NSA steering Committee, Miss Felicia Afia Owusu-Nyantakyi, gave the assurance that Ghana would definitely meet its target on the Malabo declaration and called on government create the enabling environment for farmers through the continuous subsidization of farm inputs and reduction of taxes on imported farm equipment such as tractors, combine harvesters and tilling machines.
The Ghana Non-State Actors (NSAs) are stakeholders in Agriculture who do not work as state/Public actors but rather as private investors in Agriculture. They include Agro input dealers, Farmers (both crops and livestock farmers), Processors, the Media, Financial Institutions and the end users.
