A reassessment of the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs program is imminent-Peasant farmers

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana says a review of government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) is long overdue.

The Agric Minister recently revealed that government has so far spent GH¢2.6 billion on the program and touted the success of the program.

But that claim has been challenged as food inflation continues to soar, while government figures indicate 6.4 million Ghanaians are food insecure.

 Head of Programmes and Advocacy for the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Charles Nyaba believes the Finance Ministry finds the Planting for Food and Jobs unsustainable hence the need for a review.

“The intentions the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has for the Planting for Food and Jobs were not implemented by the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry did not release money for them.”

“Per our conversations with the policymakers in the Ministries, it suggests that the Planting for Food and Jobs is not sustainable, the budget does not support that. So it has to be reviewed in a way that the Ministry of Finance does not pump more money into it. We do not think it is the way to go.”

“We think there could have been a better way of going about it. We could have considered better ways of improving the implementation of the programme. This is the time we need to invest in the Agricultural sector.”

Charles Nyaba has also been explaining  how the current economic situation is affecting farmers.

“When you take 2021 for instance, we were getting to plough an acre for something between GH¢120 to GH¢150. This year it is going for GH¢250 to GH¢300. These increases have affected us badly.”