A clarion call for food sufficiency

The state of the country’s food security as highlighted in a recent report by the World Food Programme requires some reflection.

The statistics are quite revealing: two million people, including 657,000 children under five years, are suffering from chronic malnutrition. This is quite a worry for a country with rich agricultural land and other natural resources.

Food insecurity has far-reaching consequences that affect not only individuals, but also entire populations. Worst still is the issue of nutritional deficiency, particularly for children, which poses a threat to the future human resources of the nation.

Chronic malnutrition leads to stunted growth, impaired cognitive development and increased susceptibility to disease. The impact on education is also significant, as hungry or ill-fed children are less likely to attend school, stay attentive and focused or perform well.

The economic consequences are alarming, as food insecurity leads to reduced productivity, decreased economic growth and increased poverty. In Ghana, agriculture remains the backbone of the economy, employing the majority of the workforce and contributing significantly to gross domestic product (GDP).

The sector is, however, faced with numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure and a lack of investment. These were what the One-Village, One-Dam and Planting for Food and Jobs I and II interventions were intended to rectify.

Interestingly the political class recognises the crucial role of agriculture in the scheme of national development. Indeed, all political parties have devoted a good portion of their electoral manifestos over the years to advance their programmes towards the development of agriculture not just to improve food production and availability, but to create a sustainable alternative job avenue.

The results have not reflected the volume of investment so far, with the recent craze towards the quick fortunes from illegal mining — commonly called galamsey locally — at the expense of the health of the environment and society, proving a costly attraction for the youth especially.

The bi-product of this shift from agriculture to galamsey is the conversion of farmlands into illegal mining pits, robbing the country of the core value of its arable lands. This has led to rising food inflation recently, with seasonal crops contributing to the average high inflation rate across the economy.

It has led to an increased importation of basic agricultural produce such as vegetables and cereals, which ultimately affects the cost of food and impacts the vulnerable. These call for improved and firm measures, including better incentives, to encourage the youth and the general population to once again embrace agriculture.

It will come with increased investment in mechanisation processes that change the laborious methods in land preparation, planting and harvesting to a more efficient and less manually absorbing regime.

It will mean providing improved feeder roads that will enhance the transportation of farm produce to the markets, with the added benefit of reducing post-harvest losses.

It also demands the development and activation of irrigation systems to promote large-scale commitment to agricultural production, taking into consideration the agricultural production strengths of the different geographical areas.

The reality of food insecurity cannot be downplayed. It is a situation that confronts all of the human race and underpins various interventions by more advanced societies to improve crop yield, undertake all-year-round farming and increase production in the sector.

It includes storage facilities and processing mechanisms to maximise the products of agriculture through the entire value chain. It is the reason that scientists have developed improved seeds, some with higher yields, and others with resilience to withstand the vagaries of the weather and pests.

Whichever direction the nation seeks, it requires urgent action with a clear programme that invests heavily in the sector, and makes use of the abundant resources, both human and material, at the disposal of the nation.

The wide presence of agricultural professionals, including extension officers, cannot be in vain. They must yield the desired results. The implementation of the second phase of the PFJ must incorporate all relevant measures that will improve agricultural production and lead to better nutritional outcomes for citizens.