Development partners and investors have shown interest in government’s agricultural programme to revamp the sector and create jobs, “Planting for Food and Jobs’’.

This was during the 52nd AfDB Annual Meeting in India where the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto led a delegation to the program and gave a presentation on the initiative that seeks to propel the growth of emerging agric companies by investing in them.

Panel members and speakers at the conference were enthused about the project and lauded government’s efforts at the transformation being caused in the sector.

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According to the Minister, the major problems that agriculture has faced over the years has had to do with importation and transport of locally produced foods and the initiative would

Also, he said that as plans are made to incorporate modern technology into agriculture, government hopes to awaken the interest of the youth in pursing farming and other agricultural engagements.

Dr. Afriyie Akoto was on a panel discussion with the Founder of the World Food Prize, Norman Borlaug and the Chairman of the John Kufuor Foundation, Prof. Baffour Agyemang Duah.

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The Minister has also been touting the contributions of. He noted that women play key role in terms of production and marketing of farm produce.

Speaking on the Ministry’s support for women in Ghana to the growth and development of agriculture, the Minster said the sector had established the Women in Agriculture Directorate (WIAD), a permanent directorate that seeks to empower women in agriculture.