Small-scale farmers dominate Ghana’s agriculture industry – Manager
Mr Lambert Abraham Lugumial, the programme Manager of Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC) over the weekend said Ghana’s agriculture is dominated by small scale producers.
Mr Lambert, who was speaking at a day’s workshop organised by the GTLC, a Ghanaian trade and agricultural policy and practice organisation at Abesim, near Sunyani, noted that small scale farmers accounted for about 80 per cent of domestic production, which is characterised by low crop and animal productivity.
The workshop, attended by 22 participants, made up of farmers and representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agricultural and the Ministry of Trade and Industries from the Volta, Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Regions was to review the third series of Agro Policy Performances Barometer (APPB) report for 2012 to 2014 on agricultural performances in the country.
It also aims at reviewing the report of the GTLC, which seeks to assess whether the recent global resurgence in the development policy agenda, after a decade of neglect, is mere political talk or whether it embodies real efforts targeted at investments to improve productivity, income and livelihood.
Mr Lambert said small scale farmers were cultivating average farm sizes of about 1.2 hectares with little use of improved technology, adding that, yields of most crops were very low.
He indicated that most farmers have limited understanding of seed technology and its implications on crop productivity because they still preserve some of their produce to be used as seeds for planting even when they have access to improved seeds.
Mr Lambert said research had indicated that production of improved seeds had not been profitable because the farmers recycle the seeds, and noted that, farmers needed to be empowered to produce certified seeds of various crops for increased agricultural production.
He called for the development and application of technological approaches, which would not only improve the lives of rural small scale farmers, but would automatically enhance a developing country’s socio-economic, political and health sectors.
Mr Lambert said improved agricultural production by small scale farmers with forward and backward linkage to industrial development and other sectors can be an important means of breaking the vicious cycle of poverty which had gripped many developing nations.
He pointed out that the low agricultural productivity in the country could be attributed to reliance on rain-fed agriculture, low performing irrigated farming, low level of mechanization in production and processing.
Other factors causing the low agricultural productivity were high post harvest losses, as a result of poor management, insufficient and ineffective agricultural finances, poor extension services, resulting from institutional and structural inefficiencies, inadequate markets and processing facilities.
Some of the participants stressed the need for small scale farming to be seen as a real business which required effective application of modern farming system techniques and best farm management practices in their operations.
Source: GNA