Government asked to invest more in food production

The Ghana National Agricultural Technical Class Association (GNATCA), has called on government to make available more funds and farming inputs towards increased food production in the country.

The group also asked government to focus on the cultivation of grains, cereal and other food crops and to revamp the Ejura Farms to ensure food security for the country.

These were contained in a communiqué signed and issued by Emmanuel F. Kuwornu, national president of GNATCA, and Mr. Christian Flafe, General Secretary of the Association, at its 11 Annual National Executive Council meeting at Wa.

The GNATCA, made up of technical personnel from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ministry of Fisheries, noted that the drought and flood situations in some parts of the country posed a threat to food security.

The Association urged government to purchase grains and cereals from farmers during harvest periods at reasonable prices for storage, recruit more extension officers to reduce the Agriculture Extension Agent Farmer Ratio of one agent to 1,500 farmers and fully resource them to enable them to work efficiently.

It urged government to subsidise the cost of motorbikes for agriculture field officers by at least 50 per cent and to provide adequate fuel for the motorbikes to enhance the work of the offices.