By: Seraphine Nyuiemedi
Ghana has commemorated the 42nd world Food Day with a resolve to address the challenges affecting the Agricultural sector.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in Charge of crops, Yaw Frimpong Addo, said despite many successes that have been chalked by the government in the agricultural sector, the country is still faced with numerous challenges that pose a threat to food security.
Some of the challenges he said include, “low productivity, post-harvest loses, obsolete agricultural practices, poor marketing systems, inadequate access to land and security of tenure for agricultural production”.
Mr. Addo was speaking at Sogakorpe in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region to mark the day.
This year’s commemoration was on the theme: “Leave no one behind -better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of crops, Yaw Frimpong Addo said government will not relent in its efforts to transform the sector.
“In-spite of the remarkable success chalked since rolling out the Planting for Food and Jobs campaign, government is not relenting on its efforts to transform agriculture” he said.
A Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Moses Anim said his ministry is “committed to ensuring that Ghana meets its fish requirements in order to achieve a nourished population and a better life for national development”.
He said the Fisheries Ministry is currently reviewing its legislations to find solutions to the challenges facing the sector.
This he believes will enable it to meet international best practices.
“The Ministry is currently undertaking a review of the fisheries legislations to strengthen the regulatory framework to address lapses in fisheries governance and meet international best practices”he said.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative in Ghana, Ndiaga Gueye says, though progress has been made in terms of food insecurity, million more people around the world are still unable to afford a healthy diet thereby, putting them at high risk of food insecurity and malnutrition.
He urged government, the private sector and individuals to work together to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food.
Mr Gueye pledged the FAO’s commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind.
