Small scale farmers have called on government to take a more serious interest in the agricultural sector, particularly the role played by peasant farmers.

The peasant farmers are convinced their contribution to the sector has not been recognised despite playing a major role in feeding the country.

On the occasion of the  peasant struggle on April 17, a programme to remember the contribution of peasant farmers during the medieval era as well as the 1996 massacre of peasants in Brazil’s Amazonia, Victoria Adongo, a member of Ghana's Peasant Farmers Association lamented what he said was some level of contempt showed to peasant farmers.

"Despite the importance of this group, their contribution is far from being recognised. Rural people have very little visibility on the public scene and in most places, are looked down on and often considered "ignorant", "backward" or "underdeveloped".

"...This contempt goes hand in hand with the free market policies for more than three decades that have banked on the disappearance of peasants' agriculture to be replaced by large agribusiness corporations and international trade. Thousands of peasants across Africa and those who advocate on their behalf are still oppressed, intimidated as they struggle for land, food, economic opportunity and human rights – even though they are the very same men and women who are feeding the world.

The theme for this year's celebration was “58 years of independence; call for food sovereignty not food security.”

Among other things, Victoria Adongo outlined five key demands peasant farmers expect from government.

"Small-scale farmers should be protected and supported as key investors in their sector, including helping them to access fair credit. Governments and financial institutions need to overcome a blinkered focus on support to large-scale farming.

"There should be mechanisms to stop land grabbing for commercial activities. Improving land tenure arrangements should go hand-in-hand with land reform prioritising the needs of small-scale farmers and farming communities and regulate takeover of agricultural land for estate development.

"Focus on small-scale solutions by promoting the development of indigenous seeds, community seed banks, farmer field schools, demonstration farms and farmer-to-farmer extension. An attempt to sell seed sovereignty with the introduction of a  plant breeder’s bill that is detrimental to small holder farmers, should be replaced with a home grown seed law that protects the right of the indigenous farmer.

"Support women farmers to access to, control and security of tenure of land, extension services, credit, access to resources including mechanization and seeds," Adongo indicated.