Budget 2023: Government to secure 110, 000 acres of land to start local food production
The finance minister said the high food prices and pressures on the local currency validates the current focus of the GhanaCARES Programme to bolster the productive and export capacity of the private sector
The government is expected to initiate an economic enclave project with focus on providing support for the cultivation of up to 110,000 acres of land in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Savannah and Oti Regions.
The Finance Minister said the high food prices and pressures on the local currency validates the current focus of the GhanaCARES Programme to bolster the productive and export capacity of the private sector.
Presenting the 2023 Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday (24 November), Ken Ofori-Atta said, “This initiative which seeks to expand our production and productivity in rice, tomato, maize, vegetables and poultry is being led and coordinated by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).”
“In collaboration with other Government institutions such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Ministry of Energy, Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana
Armed Forces (GAF) under the Ministry of Defence, the National Entrepreneurial and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and the National Service Secretariat (NSS).”
Promotion of organic fertiliser
The Finance Minister said the recent global crisis has severely disrupted inorganic fertiliser supply chains which has resulted in sharp increases in prices making it difficult for farmers to access the commodity and thus threatening food security.
“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is intensifying efforts to promote the local production and use of organic fertilizers. Further to this, under the subsidy programme, the Ministry has increased the quota for organic
fertilizer suppliers to cover the shortfall in supply of inorganic fertilisers.”
“Additionally, Government is facilitating the establishment and the expansion of local organic fertilizer production plants with support from the EXIM Bank,” Ofori-Atta said.
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