Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement at the University of Ghana, Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, says food and nutrition security can only be achieved in Ghana by incorporating science, technology and agricultures in the agriculture value chain.
Speaking at the World Hunger Day Celebration, Professor Danquah emphasised that if thorough decisions are made to encourage science, technology and innovation in agriculture, the country would not need programmes like Planting for Food and Jobs.
“We have to do things differently, we must confront the pressing of food insecurity. We must understand that General Kutu Acheampong tried a variant of Planting for Food and Jobs so we can deduce that it is not Planting for Food and Jobs, it is about self-reliance. So, we do not have to wait for seeds to come from South Africa, France, Israel etc, before farmers can access quality seeds to plant”.
“It is about science, technology and innovation. It is about developing our seed systems and strengthening the commodity value chain,” he said.
According to a Deputy Agric Minister, Yaw Frimpong Addo, hunger will be a thing of the past should every citizen engage in backyard farming.
“We’ve lived with hunger over the years, during my childhood, we used to walk miles just to get food to bring back to the village. 60 years on and we’re still talking about hunger whereas now we should be talking about processing and preservation.”
“We’re still where we are because we have not made use of science and technology. However, we can contribute to ending hunger if every household will engage in backyard farming,” he stated.
The Executive Director of Alliance for Science, Dr. Sheila Ochugboju highlighted that food insecurity goes beyond satisfying hunger and food availability, but impacts generational thinking.
“I remember growing up at a village in Nigeria at age nine where I wasn’t hungry but I wasn’t secure. If a large part of the day of a child is focused on what to eat or the thought of food is what drives anyone’s day, then they are not food secure.”
“We have so many people around the world who are not hungry but food insecure. This creates a vulnerability that caps their potentials and if not properly addressed, we’ll be doing the next generation grave injustice,” she said.
May 28 is marked as World Hunger Day to commemorate efforts toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2. This year’s World Hunger Day was themed, “Honour Farmers for a Food Secure Country”.
Latest Stories
-
Price of LPG per kilogramme constitutes 22% of taxes – LPG Marketers Association
43 mins -
Nigeria appoint Finidi George as new Super Eagles boss
1 hour -
Elevating Ghana’s creative industry: A blueprint for competing with Nigeria and South Africa
3 hours -
Poor finishing a problem for Asante Kotoko throughout the season – Prosper Ogum
3 hours -
Samini teams up with Francis Osei for ‘Sticks N Locks’ EP
3 hours -
Government should resource record labels – Seven Xavier
3 hours -
I need majority in parliament to successfully complete my term – Akufo-Addo pleads
3 hours -
Next NDC government will not recognise illegal contracts signed by current administration – Sammy Gyamfi
4 hours -
Premier League clubs vote in favour of spending cap plans
4 hours -
Nigeria’s fuel crisis brings businesses to a halt
4 hours -
King Promise impresses fans at sold out show in Singapore
4 hours -
Ejisu by-election to proceed after plaintiff withdraws injunction application
4 hours -
CSOs and NGOs unite to push for priority demands at INC-4
4 hours -
Fuel tanker bursts into flames on Kumasi-Accra highway
4 hours -
Security is tightened ahead of Ejisu by -election
4 hours