G8’s commitment to help Africa improve food security was sincere – President Mills
President John Evans Atta Mills on Monday returned home from the 2012 G-8 Summit in the US, convinced of the sincerity of the Group’s commitment to partner Africa in addressing food and nutrition issues of the continent.
He observed that the G-8 nations were happy with the programmes Ghana had drawn and progress made for agricultural development, including the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), which aimed at improving food security and poverty reduction in Ghana’s three Northern Regions.
Consequently, “we are sure to see more and more people coming to invest in agriculture,” President Mills said in an interview with journalists on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.
President Mills, together with the African Union Chairperson and Thomas Yaya Boni, who is also the President of Benin, Ethiopian Prime Minister Ato Meles Zenawi and Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete, participated in the Summit, at the invitation of US President Barack Obama.
The summit addressed the global food security.
From the Summit, Ghana is expected to get a minimum of $600 million out of the $3 billion announced by President Barrack Obama to implement the New Alliance For Food Security and Nutrition, being championed by the G8 nations.
The Group of eight advanced economies are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Ghana’s share of the fund would be a major boost to the government in the implementation of the Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP), expected to enhance agriculture production and pull out over 1.3 million Ghanaians out of poverty.
Under the Alliance, the other beneficiary countries in Africa would partner with the G8 countries to generate greater private investment in agriculture development and scale up innovation towards achieving sustainable food security and poverty reduction in Africa.
The G8 leaders, at the meeting, approved the five-year METASIP and agreed to advance their contributions.
Out of the amount for Ghana, the USA is expected to provide $225 million, while Canada, France and Germany will be contributing $71 million, $76 million and $69 million respectively.
Japan will provide $34 million, with Russia making available $9 million, and the United Kingdom and the European Union providing $25 million and $37 million respectively.
Apart from the funding from G8 countries, some 15 private international firms had declared their intention to sign on the implementation of the Alliance’s plan in Ghana, by investing in the agricultural sector.
They include Amarjaro Trading Limited, Rabobank, Unilever, Yara International, AGCO, World Cocoa Foundation, SABmiller, Africa Cashew Initiative Partners, AgriServ, Ecobank Group, Finatrade Group, Ghana Nuts, Premium Foods and Savanna Farmers Marketing Company.
Source: GNA