Ghana Will Not Suffer Food Insecurity Despite Armyworm Invasion - Dr. Sagri Bambangi

The deputy minister for agriculture and member of parliament for the Walewale constituency of the northern region, Dr. Sagri Bambangi has assured Ghanaians that, the Country will not suffer from food insecurity despite the armyworm invasion that the country experience this year.

Many people fear that Ghana will suffer some kind of food insecurity due to the armyworm invasion that the country suffered, but interacting with journalists at the 7th annual pre-hervest agricbusiness event in Tamale, Dr. Sagri Bambangi said only 14,000 hectors out of the 112,000 hectors of farmlands that were attacked by the armyworm were completely destroyed describing it as a micro level.

According to him, only those who had their farm lands completely destroyed may experience some kind of food insecurity but not Ghana as a whole.

"With the armyworm invasion, of coarse, there has been some effects on food security in the country, but the effects on food security is at micro level. At the same time, at the micro level, I cannot say we will experience food deficit" he stated

" I remember visitinga farm in kintampo North and 5 hectors of farmlands were totally destroyed, such a farmer will by all means suffer some food security challenges " he added.

Asked whether farmers who had their farmlands totally destroyed will be compensated, Dr. Bambangi said the ministry has not been authorized to pay any compensation to any farmer, but explained that, the decision lies with the cabinet.

"Whatever decision the ministry takes, until it is approved by cabinet in the budget of the ministry of finance, I cannot make any pronouncement now regarding compasation" he said.

He noted that, the government's agricultural flagship program 'One-Village, One-dam' does not refers to one to one mapping as misunderstood by Ghanaians.

He said the policy was aimed at providing water for farmers to irrigate their farms during the dry season.

On his part, the Northern regional minister, Salifu Saeed whilst thanking the American people for their immerse support to the government of Ghana in the development of agriculture called on Ghanaians to rally behind the NNP government in ensuring food security in the country.

He also said, Ghana has been earmarked as part of 12 countries targeted by the America's global hunger and food security innitiave aims at achieving global food security.

He said the USAID through it's agricultural support program 'ADVANCE' has supported Ghana in the fight against the fall Armyworm pest that attacked the country during the farming season.

On planting for food and jobs, Honorable Saeed said the policy was aimed at providing commodity market for farmers to increase their livelihoods.

The annual pre-harvest agribusiness event is an innitiave by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) which brings together farmers, buyers, processors, input deallers, banks and many other actors in the agricultural value chain to network, discuss contracts, and build business relationships.

The event was organized by USAID with support from AFGRI and Ecobank Ghana with thousands of businesses exhibitors displaying their products and goods