The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana is calling on the government and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to involve more women in phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs program.
President Akufo Addo in July last month launched the second phase of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).
The second phase of the program with a five-year plan will focus on large-scale farming with a minimum of 5 acres.
According to the Minister for Food and Agriculture Bryan Acheampong, this will help achieve the objective of the program which is food security.
Planting for Food and Jobs was introduced in 2018 however did not lead to the achievement of food security despite the government’s huge investment.
In anticipation of phase two of the program, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana is urging the Ministry for Food and Agriculture to involve more female farmers in the program.
Head of Programs at PFA Bismark Owusu Nortey believes encouraging more women to engage in Agriculture by giving them some loans will help the Planting For Food and Jobs Program.
“Women pass through hell to access loans so if we can look at our system in a way that will make it easy for women to get access to loans, then it will help the Agriculture sector a lot”
“We’ve heard there is an introduction of phase two of the PFJ and we are pleading that at least 30% of women will be selected for the program this year,” he said.
Speaking to the media some women in farming narrated their challenges and pleaded with the government to provide adequate fertilizers for them.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh / Ahotoronline.com
