President John Dramani Mahama launched the Vegetable Development Project (Yeredua), the government’s flagship scheme, in Kukuom, Ahafo Region, yesterday, Thursday.
The Project, a deliberate intervention by the government, aims to restructure the vegetable sub-sector, reduce the country’s reliance on imports, and improve food security.
President Mahama stated that the commencement of the Vegetable Development Project was another critical step forward in the government’s Reset Agenda.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to building a resilient, technologically advanced, inclusive agricultural sector, supporting small-holder, medium-sized, and commercial farmers, strengthening storage and markets, investing in agro-processing and value chains, and expanding infrastructure.
“With discipline, unity and a shared sense of purpose, we will feed Ghana, we will grow Ghana, and we will transform Ghana,” the president stated.
“It reflects our collective determination to transform Ghana’s vegetable sub-sector into a competitive, technology driven,” he said, describing the effort as a daring and strategic move under their flagship Feed Ghana Program.
He restated that the Project’s goal was to rectify this long-term structural flaw and restore Ghana’s standing as a net vegetable producer.
The President stated that the government’s goal with the Project was to create a competitive and sustainable vegetable industry based primarily on domestic production.
President Mahama stated that the goal was to increase large-scale and smallholder tomato, onion, and pepper production through improved seed varieties and contemporary agronomic procedures.
Furthermore, it would strengthen the entire value chain, from input supply and production to aggregation, storage, processing, and marketing, in order to create dignified, predictable jobs, particularly for young people, women, and people with disabilities, as well as provide irrigation infrastructure necessary for year-round production, he stated.
President Mahama stated that the heart of this plan was a simple and undeniable truth: without water, vegetable agriculture cannot thrive, and without year-round production, the country cannot attain food security or cut imports.
“This is why irrigation development forms the backbone of the Vegetable Development Project and our overall Feed Ghana Project,” he stated
President Mahama stated that the Vegetable Development Project would provide solar-powered irrigation systems for 60 hectares of land across six communities.
He stated that farmers participating have begun to receive significant assistance in the shape of enhanced feeds, organic fertilizer, agronomic training, and digital advice services.
The President stated that a committed buyer, Farm Mates, had been introduced to ensure consistent markets for all farmers’ produce.
In addition, a contemporary packhouse would be built to handle the grading, sorting, packaging, and cold chain management of all the veggies produced, and the entire project was carefully planned to be completed within a year.
“This Vegetable Development Project will be replicated in many other parts of the country, especially in the north where water availability is a major challenge at many times of the year,” he said.
Dr. Eric Opoku, Minister of Food and Agriculture, urged Ghanaians interested in farming to take advantage of the Yeredua project and start farming.
He also emphasized the government’s commitment to modernising agriculture, creating jobs, and promoting agro-industrial growth.
Osahene Nana Kwaku Aterkyi II, the Omanhene of Kukuom, urged the President to build major roads in the Asunafo South District and complete abandoned projects at the Kukuom Agriculture Senior High School.
In addition, the Omanhene requested a bus for the school to guarantee that it runs smoothly.
Source: newsthemegh.com