Does Dawhenya signal agric renaissance?

In the 1970s, the government never spoke about agriculture, particularly food production, without the mention of some major irrigation projects.

The Acheampong regime anchored its agricultural programme on the need for all-year round farming to produce food to feed ourselves and for export.

The Head of State then, General Kutu Acheampong, in his addresses to the nation, never missed the opportunity to mention the Dawhenya, Okyereko, Barekese, Tono and Vea dams as major drivers of the country’s development agenda.

Perhaps the focus on those projects provided the catalyst for the success of his government’s agricultural revolution.

We recall with nostalgia the enthusiasm with which many Ghanaians responded to the call to return to the land to at least produce to feed ourselves.

Within a short period, public servants had turned all open spaces into gardens of all major crops, particularly maize, millet, sorghum and cassava.

The dams provided the impetus for all-weather farming in those areas to produce cereals, tubers and vegetables.

Rice cultivation caught on with many farmers, and even public servants, and within a short period the northern part of the country could boast big-time farmers.

Our success in agricultural production was driven by the Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) programme which, for about three years, served as the force for the return to the land by people from all walks of life.

Unfortunately, it appears we have not built on those experiences to boost food production in the country. As a result, we have not been self-sufficient in food production, as we import every conceivable food item from neighbouring countries and beyond.

As an agricultural country, we should be self-sufficient in food production, instead of depending on outsiders for food handouts.

This over-reliance on food handouts undermines our independence and dignity because anybody who holds a bowl begging for food every day will have to submit to the dictates of donors.

However, the Daily Graphic thinks there is hope in the horizon with the rehabilitation of the Dawhenya Irrigation Project, with support from the Korean government.

We must emphasise that it is good to rely on friendly countries to fix challenges if we cannot find the resources to do so from within.

Nonetheless, we think agriculture is such a key driver of our development agenda that we call on the government to look for the resources from within or seek support to rehabilitate all the dams in the country.

We cannot continue to rely on rain-fed agriculture to feed ourselves.

The Daily Graphic thinks peasant farmers have paid their dues and cannot continue to rely on subsistence farming to sustain the economy on an even keel.

We again call on the government to revive the Youth-In-Agriculture programme to motivate the youth to take to the land and stop looking for non-existent white-collar jobs.

The Daily Graphic thinks the government should find some funds for on-lending to the agricultural sector at very affordable rates to reduce the risks associated with the sector.

Let us do everything within our power to produce to feed ourselves as the first step in giving meaning to our sovereignty.