The Minister for Food and Agriculture and Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, Hon. Eric Opoku, has declared that Ghana has no justification for food shortages, insisting that the country possesses enough fertile land, favorable weather conditions, and human resources to feed itself and achieve economic prosperity through agriculture.
According to the Minister, the government remains committed to transforming Ghana’s economy through agriculture under the “Agriculture for Economic Transformation” agenda and the recently launched “Feed Ghana Programme.”
Speaking during a working and familiarization visit to P & A African Food International Ltd in Accra on Friday, June 19, Hon. Eric Opoku said agriculture remains the surest path to national development and economic empowerment.
“We have already launched our Agriculture for Economic Transformation agenda. Under that agenda, the message to the Ghanaian people is simple. The President says that, considering the enormous agricultural potential, it is only through agriculture that government can deliver prosperity to the people of Ghana,” he stated.
The Minister explained that the Feed Ghana Programme was introduced to operationalize the broader agricultural transformation agenda and ensure food sufficiency across the country.
“Feed Ghana says that, looking at what we have, we have no excuse whatsoever to tell people that we cannot feed ourselves. We should be able to feed ourselves. We have the capacity. We have everything,” he stressed.
Hon. Opoku urged the public to contribute to food production by cultivating small farms or backyard gardens, regardless of where they live.
“So every Ghanaian, wherever you find yourself, even in your house, you must have a small garden. Grow some vegetables for yourself. Have a small farm,” he advised.
He further encouraged schools across the country to establish farms to supplement feeding programmes and expose students to agriculture at an early age.
“In all our schools, they should have their farms. If for nothing at all, they should produce something to support the feeding of students in the school,” he said.
The Agriculture Minister also challenged churches and religious institutions to venture into farming activities as part of efforts to support national food security and improve the welfare of their congregants.
According to him, churches possess enormous untapped potential that could significantly reduce Ghana’s dependence on food imports if properly mobilized.
“When you go to my hometown, I counted the number of schools. We have about nine schools. But when I counted the number of churches, I got 39. If all these churches are to go into farming, Ghana will no longer import food,” he stated.
Hon. Opoku noted that while churches focus heavily on spiritual development, they must also prioritize the physical well-being of their members by supporting food production initiatives.
“And the most important thing is that if the members of the church are hungry, how would you minister unto them the word of God? So in all that we do, if we are focusing on the spiritual aspect, we should also be looking at the physical aspect as well,” he added.
The Minister also highlighted the critical role of food processing in preserving agricultural produce and creating employment opportunities.
He praised P & A African Food International Ltd for processing “Kontomire,” a nutritious green leafy vegetable, into canned products for local consumption and export.
According to him, kontomire production is seasonal and often becomes scarce on the market when irrigation farming declines, making processing an important intervention.
He described the processed product, branded as “Precious Kontomire,” as a major innovation capable of ensuring year-round access to healthy vegetables for consumers.
The Minister urged the public to patronize locally manufactured products to support indigenous industries, stimulate economic growth, and create jobs.
“I’m told that they export a lot of their products to the United States of America, Canada, the UK, and elsewhere. But even the domestic market, if we patronize some of these products, within the shortest possible time this factory will grow to become one of the biggest in our country and employ a lot of people,” he stated.
He further encouraged traders and small-scale business operators to take advantage of the availability of locally processed products by purchasing them wholesale for resale.
Hon. Eric Opoku also appealed to the media to intensify public education on local industries, agricultural innovations, and made-in-Ghana products rather than focusing predominantly on entertainment content.
He expressed optimism that collective efforts in agriculture, processing, local consumption, and public education would help Ghana build a resilient economy capable of delivering prosperity and food security for all citizens.
By 1960news.com
