EXAMINING THE ESSENCE OF NATIONAL FARMERS DAY IN RELATION TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE YOUTH OF GHANA

Farmers have for a very long time dominated in percentage wise, the total working force of Ghana for a very long time. Not Until recently, Farmers were always estimated to constitute about sixty percent of the total Labour force of Ghana.

The long standing domination of the countries labour force by farmers indicates how important farming is to Ghana and Ghanaians.

A brief enumeration of the importance of farming will even look like an attempt to overemphasise the importance of farming. This is because the benefits of Agriculture to us as a people are uncountable.

These importances have thus informed a culture of encouragement and reward scheme for farmers which is to award deserving farmers in an attempt to boost morale and encourage farming in the country. Thus, the National Farmers Day.

To me this is a very brilliant accomplishment for a government to practice. It is thus the expectation of all Ghanaians’ that Today as we enjoy our holiday in solidarity with our farmers, we shall be reflecting on how to adopt very sustainable practices for the benefit of us all.

Since the inception of the National Farmers Day Awards, I have seen and heard of many award schemes. These have been in the forms of Houses, Cars, Tractors, and Farm equipment in the forms of sprayers, overall uniforms and cutlasses.

We want to congratulate all farmers on this occasion for their ingenious contribution to the survival of mankind and Mother Ghana. For we often ask ourselves what we would have done with all wealth and technology, if there was no food to eat.

Farmers who have won such awards have not hidden their feelings. At least a smile has been put on their faces and it eventually becomes the ignition for higher output from them.

The question of this discussion is how many People, who have won, National Best farmer awards could be counted as youth in this Nation? Is the award a reserve for the old? Or is it another Luxury for the rich and affluent ion the society? What do we stand to gain as youth on the occasion of farmers’ day?

The Best way one can think of sustainability is to encourage the youth to go into agriculture. This has however been left unattended to for a very long time. Most of the challenges that obstruct the interest of the youth in agriculture have not been addressed yet. It is my hope that a National event of this nature, would have considered, putting in place a measure that could be unveiled today in the interest of Youth in agriculture.

For instance, Land Acquisition even in small quantities is a major challenge to any person who intends to farm, be it livestock or crops. The youth are the most credit unworthy persons since they do not have any experience or properties to be used as collateral for credit facilities that could be used to by any such land. It is our expectation, that government is able to institute a mechanism for Land Leasing at very flexible terms to the youth who are interested in agriculture. This will address part of the challenges that confront youth who are interested in agriculture.

Again, even after acquiring land, irrigation is another big challenge that affects the interest in agriculture. The irregular nature of our whether cannot be controlled by any individual, yet we can decide to build storage dams in farming communities. I believe that, it would be a very good legacy for Ghana to inaugurate an irrigation facility on the occasion of 2012 National farmer’s day. Such a facility which shall be managed by the farmers themselves, would serve not only one person but a very large number of farmers. It would actually increase yield since the ordinary farmer who couldn’t have afforded to irrigate his/her farm would have been assisted to do so.

Further to that, I still believe, that building of storage facilities could to mark the National Farmers Day would go a long way to improve food production in the Nation. It would regulate the flow of farm produce into the market. For instance, a silo that can store thousands of bags of corn would help regulate the flow of maize and its prices in the system, thereby tackling the issue of inflations realistically.

The day is for recognition of farmers and we do not intend to bore Ghanaians’ with much to read.

Enjoy