The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) Mr. Eric Osei Assibey Antwi has suggested for the posting of agricultural students and graduates to farms to assist farmers during their field attachment and service periods.
This, he said, would offer them the opportunity to acquire knowledge and the expertise in their chosen fields for the needed hands-on experience.
‘It is about time the agricultural departments in the universities and colleges connect with the National Service Scheme Secretariat to think positively about this proposal.
During an induction ceremony of the Ashanti regional poultry farmers association held at the KNUST today, he implored the leadership of the association to champion this proposal.
Such arrangement, he envisioned, has the tendency in curbing the low rate of agriculture productivity arising out of lack of education on the part of our farmers.
The city Mayor further underlined the need for such chemistry to exist between graduates and farmers to fit into an era of the hi-tech and fast-advancing global economy.
Referring to the stark statistics of an estimated 40 percent annual post-harvest losses, he is optimistic their presence would help to reverse this negative trend.
We need to shelve every non-starter and unhelpful stereotyped agricultural practices for us to bridge the huge gap regarding the farmer- extension officer ratio bedeviling the country, he explained.
Audio- Mr. Eric Osei Assibey Antwi
