According to world Bank, Agriculture is the engine of growth of every functioning economy.
This calls for a greater works to be done in the Agriculture sector to meet that maximum goal. Our country is best known for its enormous contribution to the world in terms of agriculture, especially in the case of cocoa. One of its greatest challenges is the poor interest of the youth in the sector. Graduates are also running away to other sectors like the service sector. Even those who studied agriculture in school are running away from the courses they studied. The Youth in Agriculture Policy is here to solve the problem of many of the youth, if enough resources would be pushed into this policy.
One of the policies implemented by the Government in his first term in office under the Agriculture Ministry that made me very proud as a youth, was the Youth in Agriculture Policy. I know a lot of efforts was put into this policy to get more of the youth into the Agriculture sector, since the youth is the active force of the country’s population.
For this Policy to be more effective and efficient, I have highlighted below some suggestions and recommendation that could help the Government and the Agriculture Ministry to achieve the maximum objective of the Youth in Agriculture Policy.
Effective publication and Campaign of the said Policy:
I can say confidently that, most of the Ghanaian Youths do not know that a policy like this exist in this country. What I have personally attributed their reasons to, is the fact that, there was a minimal publication and advertisement on this said Policy. I will plead with the Government to do more publication on this policy in other to reach more audience.
Posting of National Service Personnels into the Agriculture Sector:
The Agriculture Ministry should work hand in hand with the National Service Secretariat to post and recruit most of these service personnel to boost it’s performance yearly. This in the long run would equip the service personnel with skills to boost their interest. Service Personnels should be paired to extension officers to be trained to enhance their skill training. Upon the completion of the national service, these Personnels should be given some fund to start their farming or Agriculture Journey.
Reduction in Taxes, Favourable tax policy and adequate access to Finance:
Many of the youth wish to venture into the Agriculture sector but access to finance, favourable tax policies, and reduction in taxes of some major Agricultural materials has become a burden. It is very difficult for a young person in Ghana to enter into a poultry farming or any other farming in the country because of the exorbitant prices placed on the equipment they would use in their farming. This discourage most of the youth from entering into the Agriculture sector. I would please with Government to establish a favourable tax policies for the youth who are into Agriculture.
Youth is capable of transforming the Agriculture sector in our country. I would like to encourage the youth to enter into Agriculture because there are a lot of opportunities in this Sector. Let’s help push our country into the globe through the youth participation in Agriculture. May the Lord bless our Homeland Ghana and Make her Great and Strong.
By Justice Justice Phinehas Gyesi
The Writer is a student and Founder of GIVETH HAND INTERNATIONAL (NGO) and JEPHINKO GROUP.
He can be reached on justicephinehasgyesi@gmail.com