We have made significant strides in agric — Bawumia

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has stated that the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's government has achieved significant strides in the agricultural sector.

However, he said there is the need for continued innovation and sustainable practices to ensure the long-term resilience and prosperity of the agricultural sector.

He made this known in his first major address to the nation following his election as New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, where he outlined the broad policy outlines of a Bawumia Presidency.

“The stronger GDP growth performance in the 2017-2022 period is underpinned by a strong agricultural GDP growth which increased from an average of 2.9% between 2013-2016 to an average of 6% (double) between 2017 and 2022. 

We have made a lot of progress in agriculture even though there is more to be done,” he said.

Notably, he said there has been a remarkable 45% reduction in rice imports, declining from 805,000MT to 440,000MT between 2021 and 2023 alone. 

This achievement, he said underscores government's commitment to transforming Ghana into a net exporter of rice by 2028, indicative of the effectiveness of policy interventions such as "Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ.”

According to him, these initiatives have yielded tangible results, laying a foundation for further agricultural prosperity and self-sufficiency in the nation.

“The goal is to be a net exporter of rice by 2028. It is clear that some of our policy interventions such as planting for food and jobs have born fruits,” he stated.