Ghana’s new Feed Ghana initiative is poised to revolutionize the country’s agricultural sector, offering a more robust and sustainable alternative to the earlier Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, according to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku.
Addressing journalists ahead of the national launch of the initiative on April 11, Minister Opoku highlighted the Feed Ghana programme as a strategic response to Ghana’s food security challenges. He said the initiative is designed to significantly reduce the country’s dependence on food imports, boost local production, and stabilize food prices in the long term.
“The Feed Ghana programme is more comprehensive and forward-looking,” the minister stated. “While the PFJ initiative made some strides, it became clear—after seven years of implementation—that a review was necessary to address its shortcomings and adapt to changing realities.”
He explained that although PFJ underwent a second phase (PFJ II), the programme faced challenges, including a prolonged dry spell in the northern regions, which hindered its full impact. The Feed Ghana programme, he emphasized, is built to be resilient and results-driven, incorporating lessons learned from PFJ I and II.
“We are not discarding the efforts made under PFJ. In fact, we are leveraging the structures and networks established under that programme to ensure the successful rollout of Feed Ghana. The vision is to build on what works and take it further,” Opoku noted.
He added that the transition to Feed Ghana is not just a change in name but a bold step towards an inclusive and efficient agricultural transformation agenda. The initiative will focus on enhancing productivity across the entire value chain—from input supply to market access—ensuring that Ghanaian farmers and agribusinesses thrive.
“This is the most appropriate programme to fulfill our national food agenda. Even the architects of PFJ recognized the need for change, and Feed Ghana represents that change—an ambitious, targeted, and impactful approach to feeding our nation and powering our economy through agriculture,” he concluded.
The Feed Ghana programme is expected to attract significant investment and partnerships, with a strong emphasis on technology adoption, irrigation, mechanization, and youth involvement in agribusiness.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson # ahotoronline.com
