The 2016 National Best Maize Farmer, Kofi Vinyo says the absence of practical and result-oriented agricultural policies discourages individuals from venturing into large-scale farming.

According to him, there is an urgent need for government to stop paying lip service to agricultural funding and step up in their support of commercial farming to ensure food security as well as contribute meaningfully to economic growth.

Kofi Vinyo was speaking to Joy news’ Nestor Kafui Adjomah during a visit to his farm near Odumase in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono region.

“We normally call ourselves 75% agriculture country and we cannot produce food to feed ourselves and export some, then you know that we are doing nothing when it comes to agriculture.

"Because how many farmers can do like 300 to 400 acres of maize in this country? It is not there, so when it comes to agriculture this country, it is doing zero,” Mr. Vinyo exclaimed.

47-year old Kofi Vinyo starting commercial farming less than a decade ago. Even though he is physically challenged, the 2016 National Best Maize Farmer has been working to make his investment into farming worthwhile.

He said government’s agricultural programmes such as the supply of subsidised fertilizer which has only benefited small-scale farmers, had never improved the fortunes of agriculture in the country.

“Although farming is a high risk venture, my motivation is to help Ghana solve the food security challenge but like other farmers in the Sunyani West Municipality, I fear losing my investment to poor harvest in the face of unreliable rainfall and absence of irrigation systems,” Mr. Vinyo stated.

Mr. Vinyo said he started constructing an irrigation system but was unable to complete it due to financial constraints.

“You see, I drilled bore holes for irrigation but in order to augment the insufficient water from the bore holes, over 30 farm hands fetch water from a nearby stream and just to irrigate the vegetables,” he streesed .

The award-winning farmer said he acquired over 2,000 acres of land for commercial farming but the challenges confronting the industry are too glaring.

He mentioned funding among other things as the greatest challenge in commercial farming in Ghana adding “even the banks are not ready to support people who are in agri-filed because of the high risks so when it comes to support, we are really not getting it from anywhere”.

The 2016 National Best Maize Farmer however challenged government to be proactive and creative in developing financial support schemes and programmes to boost mechanised commercial farming.

He further urged government to institute practicable policies to promote irrigation farming which will ensure all-year farming in the country and thereby solve the problem of food security.

Until that is done, the 2016 National Best Maize Farmer and people like him will continue to struggle to fill Ghana’s food basket.