Ghanaian farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture have been assured that their welfare will be given maximum attention and support by Dr. Bawumia’s government.
Giving the firm assurance, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice Presidential Candidate, stated that the NPP values the role of agriculture in national development.
In this regard, he has announced that the Dr. Bawumia’s government will implement policies that will enhance Agribusinesses to immensely benefit stakeholders in the crucial sector.
Speaking at Kejeji, at Sene East, in the Bono East region, as part of his national campaign tour on Friday, Dr. Prempeh, also known as ‘Napo’, hinted that Agribusinesses will certainly flourish.
According to him, the necessary financial, technical and any other support that will help make Agribusinesses thrive in the country would be readily provided by the next NPP administration.
“The potential for expanding and creating thousands of new jobs in Agribusiness, in response to the opportunities in food security and food exports, including AgriTech, is significant.
“That’s why under Dr. Bawumia’s presidency, we plan to make significant investments and reforms in the sector, including agricultural research, food production, food preservation and value-addition,” he noted.
Highlighting some of the key things that Dr. Bawumia and Napo will do in earnest to promote Agribusinesses, he said “We shall create agricultural enclaves in each region based on its competitive advantage via private sector collaboration.
The in-coming government, Napo announced, will strategically invest in research and the development of digital and Al technologies to help boost food production and distribution.
“This is aimed at improving production, reducing post harvest losses and packaging agricultural produce for freshness/longer shelf life, as well as farming under arid conditions and Agric mechanisation,” he said.
Napo noted that “We shall also redirect Development Bank Ghana (DBG) to expand its financing and guarantee lines, especially through the proposed SME Bank that we will set up.
“This bank will support entities engaged in the manufacturing of value-added agricultural products consumed in large quantities by Ghanaians, including the processing and packaging of basic agricultural foods.”
Napo said the government will also accelerate the growth of agro-industries “through financing and guarantees from Development Bank Ghana (DBG) and the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Share System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL).”
