The Ga West Municipal Assembly on Friday 5^th December 2025 marked its 41st Municipal Farmers’ Day Celebration at Manchie, with a strong call for increased investment in agriculture as a pathway to food security, job creation and national development.

The celebration, held under the national theme “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future,” brought together traditional authorities, government officials, farmers, fishers, development partners and community members to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of farmers and actors along the agricultural value chain.

Welcoming participants, the Municipal Director of Agriculture, Madam Angelina Owusu Ansah, described the event as a moment to recognise the hard work of farmers whose efforts provide daily sustenance and boost national development. Speaking on behalf of the Ga West Municipal Assembly, the Department of Agriculture and the Farmers’ Day Planning Committee, she highlighted key interventions undertaken over the year to improve crop and livestock production.

According to her, the Department focused on capacity building for staff and farmers, training of market actors, and continuous monitoring and supervision to ensure effectiveness of agricultural activities. She, however, acknowledged persistent challenges facing the sector, including climate variability, limited access to land, modern technology and post-harvest losses.

Madam Owusu Ansah expressed optimism that government interventions, particularly the Feed Ghana Programme, would help address these challenges through improved market access, incentives and sustainable agricultural policies.

She further outlined the criteria used in selecting award winners, including diversification, scale of operation, innovation, cultural practices, marketing, farm records, community involvement, openness to new technologies and overall farm impression, urging farmers to work towards meeting these benchmarks.

Delivering the keynote address, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ga West, Hon. John Desmond Sowah Nai, affirmed government’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a modern, profitable and youth-driven sector.

“This theme is more than a slogan; it is a call to prosperity, dignity and self-reliance,” he stated, noting that Ghana’s reliance on food imports continues to weaken the economy and expose the country to global market shocks.

He described the Feed Ghana Programme as a concrete investment designed to modernise agriculture, create wealth and enhance food security. As part of efforts to bridge the extension service gap, Hon. Sowah Nai announced the recruitment of 400 agricultural extension agents nationwide to form a National Food Brigade, supported by 540 motorbikes, with 150 already deployed.

The MCE also disclosed that 10,000 young people would be engaged under a special National Service Agripreneur Track, with opportunities for permanent employment, positioning agriculture as a viable and attractive career path.

He placed special emphasis on the Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative, a backyard poultry programme aimed at improving household nutrition, empowering women and youth, generating income and reducing dependence on imported poultry products. He pledged the Assembly’s full support for implementing the poultry component of the Feed Ghana Programme across the municipality.

Hon. Sowah Nai further outlined crop development interventions under the programme, including improved seeds, mechanisation, irrigation, storage solutions and climate-smart agriculture practices. Sub-programmes such as Farmer Service Centres, Farm Bank Development, Institutional Farming and Tree Crop Development were highlighted as key drivers of productivity and value addition.

The MCE also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to agro-processing and value addition to reduce post-harvest losses, create employment and make local produce competitive both locally and internationally.

He appealed to chiefs, opinion leaders and community members to support backyard farming, gardening and mixed farming activities, particularly in urbanising communities, to improve food supply and change perceptions about agriculture among the youth.

The celebration also honoured outstanding farmers and agribusiness actors for their dedication and excellence. Sponsors for this year’s event included Ga Rural Bank Limited, KOANS Building Solutions, Le Country Mineral Water and Adepaye Roofing.

The event ended with a call for collective action to position Ga West Municipality as a model for agricultural transformation in Ghana.

Source: Rachel Sarpong ISD and Dorcas Osei Asantewaa ISD.