The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, has assured that about 200,000 Ghanaian youth will be employed through the second phase of the government Planting for Food and Job programme (PFJ).
According to him, creating opportunities for the youth in agriculture is important for government.
Addressing the youth at an agriculture conference at the University of Ghana, he indicated that the government seeks to deepen the appreciation of agriculture among the youth, hence the decision to implement initiatives targeted at the youth under phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs.
“We hope to achieve a strategic shift in delivering solutions to the problems in the sector and also to take a giant step for collaboration between the government and the youth to effectively harness the potential of agriculture. The youth is one of the biggest actors in the agriculture sector,” he said.
According to Dr. Acheampong, his Ministry and the Youth and Employment Agency (YEA) are collaborating to employ about 70,000 youth in the agric sector.
“For its part, YEA has elaborated its intended support to the PFJ programme through capacity building, access to land and payment of stipends to beneficiaries at the early stages of the programme. Right from the conception of the programme, through the planning phase to the launch and now at the point of implementation, formal and informal conversations with actors along the agriculture value chain and other stakeholders have centered on productivity and job creation,” he said.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture also stated the fact that PFJ II is designed to consolidate and build on the successes of PFJ I.
As a first priority, he alluded that the Planting for Food and Jobs programme seeks to ensure that Ghana becomes food secure within the planned implementation period.
Other related objectives, he concluded, are job creation, particularly for the teeming youth of the country, reducing food price inflation, building food systems resilience, and promoting import substitution and exports.
Latest Stories
-
Amidu’s petition strengthening Akufo-Addo’s desire to remove independent officeholders – Suhuyini
22 mins -
I was so proud when Afronita and Abigail danced to ‘Antenna’ at Britain’s Got Talent – Fuse ODG
42 mins -
Martin Amidu can’t judge Kissi Agyebeng by his ‘low standards’ – Suhuyini
52 mins -
GOC President denies not fulfilling promise to Deborah Acquah after 2022 Commonwealth Games
56 mins -
Foden named English Premier League Player of the Season
1 hour -
Amidu’s petition against Special Prosecutor not strong enough to justify an impeachment – Amanda Clinton
1 hour -
Ghanaians can’t continue to suffer for your recklessness – Minority Leader to government
1 hour -
Project worth $134m launched to eliminate mercury in medical devices
2 hours -
Fix depreciating Cedi urgently instead of securing new loans – Ato Forson to government
2 hours -
EC should take immediate steps to expand voter registration access – New Force
2 hours -
Women’s Premier League and FA Cup finals set for June 8 at University of Ghana Stadium
2 hours -
Parliament approves $150m loan to tackle Accra floods under GARID project
3 hours -
Banks deny engaging in practices contributing to cedi’s depreciation
3 hours -
Allow legal processes to take place in Kissi Agyebeng’s impeachment case – Vitus Azeem
3 hours -
Livestream: Newsfile discusses cedi depreciation and petition to remove Special Prosecutor
3 hours