Farmers and various stakeholders in the agricultural chain are crucial to ensuring food security and it is only befitting that they are recognized and celebrated for their exceptional efforts at feeding the populace.
The first Friday of December every year is marked “Farmers’ Day” in Ghana. However, due to the general elections next month, the annual awards scheme comes off today, November 8, 2024.
This year’s Farmers’ Day celebration – which is the 40th since its establishment – is on the theme: “Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security”
Speaking on the theme for the year, the Head of the Department of Animal Science at the School of Agriculture at the University of Cape Coast, Professor Julius Kofi Eghan advocated research in agriculture to be prioritized.
He said it is high time Ghana moved away from laborious traditional farming practices and turned to research-based innovative solutions.
“It goes to tell us that we need to do a lot of research to be able to predict so that maybe in the next 10 years you should be able to anticipate what is likely to happen.”
Prof. Julius Eghan highlighted the crucial need for increased investment in agricultural research in Ghana.
He argues that relying on prayer and superficial solutions like quick financial aid isn’t enough to address the challenges farmers face.
“You don’t do knee-jerk approach kind of things like farmers have problems, you want to solve their problems, you give them money, that is superficial and a temporary measure.”
“But to be able to stay, afloat for years, you need to do a lot of research. As a country, we need to know what crops can help in our survival, so that we concentrate so much on such crops.”
This, he believes will guide us in the country’s quest to attain food security and overcome the effects of climate change.
Professor Eghan also expressed hope that Farmers’ Day awardees will be followed up after they have been awarded and their stories told to serve as motivation to others to take an active interest in agriculture.
“I expect we don’t just end the Farmers’ Day at the celebration point. Let’s get all the farmers who have ever won, to come and show how far they have come, and that will serve as motivation, especially to the youth to go into agriculture. That is what I want to see.”
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Source: Afote Asomdwoe Laryea/ATLFMNEWS
