Government should help farmers secure funding- AGI

pulse-ghana admin

June 6, 2017 12:23 PM

The AGI has urged government to make funding its priority even as it is implementing other relevant policies for the Agric sector

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The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has urged government to tackle the issue of finance while trying to implement key agricultural policies.

Fatima Alimohamed, Vice Chairperson of the AGI Agriculture Sector said the association is concerned about government’s decision to implement policies for the Agric sector without making it a point to tackle some of the fundamental challenges plaguing the industry. ‘Despite the introduction of laudable initiatives like the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ and ‘One-District One-Factory’ by the government, the major challenge of access to funds still remains’ she said.

She made this appeal at the launch of the 8th Annual National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO) 2017, on the theme, ‘Creating jobs in agriculture - Northern Region in focus.’

READ ALSO: According to her, banks are still not willing to finance agriculture and therefore the issue of funding remains the biggest challenge to date in the sector.

The AGI is advocating that as part of the ‘Planting for Foods and Jobs’ and the ‘One District- One Factory Initiative’ government should make financiers stakeholders but shareholders to aid the funding of the sector. Ms. Alimohammed said the country’s lending rate which is about 30 percent is unfavorable and prohibitive to the growth of agriculture value chain. She also lamented on the poor infrastructure in farming communities that makes it difficult to get the food to where it is needed most.

READ ALSO:

To ensure sustainability and long-term development of the sector, she advocated the need for agriculture-friendly financing policies as well as proper and comprehensive coordination between all the players in the entire agriculture value chain.

Speaking on the FAGRO event, Managing Director of FAGRO Secretariat, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa said that the event would include an agribusiness boot camp, and a leadership summit on how to support women in agriculture.

‘Also, it would create an opportunity to bring together students from all Agric Colleges to discuss the challenges, and career opportunities in the sector’ she added.

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