body-container-line-1
19.10.2011 Feature Article

Agriculture deserves more attention like mining sector

Farmers in their mango seedlings nursing fieldFarmers in their mango seedlings nursing field
19.10.2011 LISTEN

Ghana is a nation well-endowed with natural  minerals resources, including gold. The existence of these minerals has attracted many foreign investors into the country, which as a result, gives the country extra revenue for developmental projects.

The establishment of mining companies has brought about the creation of jobs for some of the youth, and revenue derived enables the government to create jobs aside mining. The mining sector is said to generate 5% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, with the exportation of crops the highest earner.

The agriculture sector, despite it being the highest earner of GDP, is not well protected like the mining sector is. The reason might be that the youth of the country, due to education, are gradually drifting away from the blue collar job, which mainly involves agriculture, to white collar jobs. The government, in a way, has a point when it tries to dedicate more of its attention to the mining sector, in the fact that it has to make sure it gets more revenue to create jobs for the youth.

Agriculture status in Ghana
Nevertheless, as agriculture, for the time being is the highest GDP earner, it can be assumed that the revenue derived from the sector can go a long way in creating more jobs for the youth, than the revenue from the mining sector. It is for this reason that the government must make it obligatory to protect the larger part of the GDP sector than the smallest part, which in years time, would be depleted. Agriculture is a great investment, not only does it put food on the table of the citizens of a country, but does the same to other citizens in the world too.

Agriculture brings political stability, as it gives the nation food security. A government which cannot provide for its citizens, in terms of food, is considered incompetent, therefore, what will become of a government if it is unable to provide food for its people, definitely political unrest will arise. It is a good thing that the government of Ghana has so far proven itself as a government which can secure its people, in terms of food, but the question is, is the satisfaction of these people solely the effort of the government? Is all the food produced from our land, or the country depends on other countries to be food secure?

Ghana's food importation
According to research, Ghana's food import bill is always on the rise – about $1 billion – which is mostly because farmers in the country are not able to produce for the whole nation. Farmers usually have small land holdings that are 1.2 to 2 hectares per farmer, and it is mainly small scale subsidence farming, hence always the low productivity.

A report by the Ghana business news indicates that the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has noted Ghana's over-reliance on foreign imported rice is becoming a source of worry. 'By limiting the importation of rice, the country will save money and invest in market development to increase productivity and expand growth.'

The report continued that Ghana currently spends US$450 million annually on rice importation to satisfy local demand. The country's self-sufficiency in rice production stands at about 30 percent, leaving a shortfall of 70.

It is estimated that the Aveyime rice project, when it reaches full-capacity production of about 800,000 tonnes, will save Ghana over US$600 million at the current cost of rice importation, possibly yielding a surplus for the country.

If that be the case, it is about time the government of Ghana begins to act as a truly independent country in terms of food. If only the government will help support farmers in remote mining communities rather than compelling them to surrender their land to mining companies, then the nation will not be only practicing true democracy, but also truly securing food for its citizens

Some farmer's rights abuses
Every day, farmers try to prompt the government and the companies involved about the bad effects most of their decisions and activities affect their lives adversely, but their voices are taken for granted.

Victims who go on demonstration are alleged to have been brutally abused by the companies and some hired security forces in the country.  All that victims of these abuses cry for is that they be treated fairly, and that they be given their right and chance to take care of their families and the nation through agriculture.

It is unfortunate that the cry of these farmers has rarely been heeded, as they are subjected to all kinds of and unfair treatment, while they seem to have no one to intervene for them.

During 2009, it was reported that Mr. James Sarpong was a prominent farmer in Teberebie cultivating oil palm and other food crops, when a mining company went for a court order to demolish his village and properties, to make way for the establishment of a rock waste dump. On the 19th of June 2009, a High Court in Sekondi granted an order for the demolition of James Sarpong's village, and on 25th of June 2009, the company employed the support of the police to destroy his village and his property in his absence. He was unable to retrieve any of his personal belongings. James Sarpong has moved from a prominent farmer to a pauper.

It was also reported that the police had arrested six community activists who are farmers, and one official of Oxfam America in Yamfo in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana, when they were having a meeting at the Yamfo Community centre to brief officials of Oxfam America on their concerns relating to how one of the mining company's activities had affected their farms. It was alleged that the arrest of the community activists and the official of Oxfam America was based on a complaint by some officials of the mining company of the Ahafo mines. The police allegedly arraigned the community activists before a Circuit Court in Sunyani on the charge of convening a meeting without a police permit.

If farmers in mining communities are not given the maximum attention that will boost agricultural activities in their communities, there might come a time when members of these communities will have no choice than to rely on other communities for food security. Should this happen, then the fight for the nation to eradicate hunger from the African Continent by 2015, as part of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG), will not be achieved after all

Conclusion
Food security is national security. The absence of food in an economy or country has the possibility of bringing about political instability. The government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has set up the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) to help farmers in production, and ensure food security in the country. Subsequent to the setting up of the NAFCO, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning advanced GH¢15,000,000 to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to enable the implementation of the National Buffer Stock Programme.

This initiative of the government is not enough; it is its responsibility to protect the rights of the people who made this project possible. If farmers are not treated well and fairly, there might no way this project and other government agriculture projects will survive for long in the country?

body-container-line