President Mahama Pledges More Support For Agriculture

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday pledged the commitment of government to support the agricultural sector, particularly innovations, for Ghana to become a net exporter of foodstuff. He said: "I want to pledge that government will support the use of EnviroDome programme with our utmost commitment and effort to ensure that it succeeds to ensure food sufficiency." President Mahatma made the pledge when he witnessed the first harvesting of tomatoes by the EnviroDome Greenhouse systems permanent exhibition at Kade in the Eastern Region. The Horticulture Centre, which was established in 1958 by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has introduced the EnviroDome programme, which produces high quality vegetables such as citrus, pepper, and tomatoes, among others. Apart from providing high yield of crops, the use of EnviroDome by the Horticulture Department of the University of Ghana and her partners, also ensures continuous fertility and disease resistance without using pesticides that could be inimical to the crops. If well harnessed, the Centre has the potential of stepping up the production of vegetables to feed the whole country, create job opportunities and ensure food security throughout the country. Since the Greenhouse programme is labour-intensive, it will need more working hands during farming, harvesting and marketing of the crops at all the commercial centres of the country. President Mahama said the introduction of EnviroDome marked the beginning of Ghana's revolution to place the country in an enviable position that would become a net exporter of vegetables on account of its efficiency, and gave the assurance that government would do everything within its powers to support the innovation. The support, the President added, would also include the formation of synergies with other partners within and outside the country, to provide the necessary skills and financial support for its operations. President Mahama, therefore, cautioned farmers throughout the country against the traditional mentality that had over the years been implemented in their farming activities. "Today, Agriculture is more technologically-based, and we cannot increase yield and move out of our current production levels without using modern technology and innovations," President Mahama added. Agriculture, he explained, had moved from subsistence to become a commercial entity, which he said, could become the major hub of employment, since Africa had the potential to feed the rest of the world in the next few decades on account of the adequate fertile lands. He appealed to farmers to wade into unorthodox areas such as the production of vegetables and flowers, in which Kenya for instance, had distinguished herself as the leading exporter in the entire African continent. President Mahama said he had noticed the bad nature of their major roads from Kade to Adeiso, Kade to Agona Swedru and Kade -Asamnkese, and promised to fix those roads before 2016. Professor K.G Ofosu Budu, one of the initiators of the programme, said the Centre was initiating moves to partner other organisations to ensure sustainable operations for the benefit of the entire country. He said unemployment in the catchment area would be completely eliminated, since more of the youth would be engaged in crop production that was likely to raise their living standards. Dr Steve Akorli, who did a presentation, said EnviroDome would also help the farmers to control the environment and step up production, since the land would not be exhausted within a short time of use. He enumerated some of the advantages as cheaper than other innovations land economy and achievement of maximum benefits after few months of engagement. Osabarima Adu Gyamfi the third, paramount chief of the Kade traditional area, commended the University of Ghana and their partners, for practising the innovation in his traditional area to create jobs for the youth. He promised to release more lands for development projects, and called on interested investors to take advantage of the availability of land and other resources in the area.