According to the World Bank Fact Sheet Report, 2014, there are five thematic areas that need public attention for a higher and a sustained growth in Agricultural sector on the African continent and these are:
1. Facilitating agriculture markets and trade
2. Improving agriculture productivity
3. Investing in public infrastructure for agriculture growth
4. Reducing rural vulnerability and insecurity
5. Improving agricultural policy and Institution
For decades agricultural science has focused on boosting production through development of new technology. It has achieved enormous yield gains as well as lower costs for large scale farming. But the success has come at a high environmental cost. Irrespective of the huge damage some of the technologies have caused, they have not been able to solve the social and the economic problems of the poor in the developing countries, which have generally benefited the least from the boost in production (IAASTD Report, 2008).
Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary general, in a 2008 AGRA Report asserted that, the advancement of Agriculture with a focus on small holder farmer, is central to progress in developing countries of Africa
The Agricultural sector contribution to GDP of Ghana has fallen from 31.8% to 22% within 2009-2013. This fall has been attributed to a lot of factors, paramount amongst them the “Dutch Disease” which seems to have crept into the Ghanaian economy since the discovery of oil.
On a visit to B-BOVID centre where there was a conduct of a transient research into the technology and approach used in farming, findings indicate that the model advocate for socially-inclusive commercial farming which ensure a ready market for farmers and also share the profit with the farmers with aim of helping improve the economic livelihood of the farmers and their family.
It was further identified that the centre currently produces quality organic vegetables and vegetable oil, palm nut oil and palm kernel oil, animal feed and fertilizer.
“The percentage of production of the above listed product could only address 4% of commercial consumption in Ghana and the reason was lack of access to affordable funding for production”(Senzu B-BOVID Report, 2014).
The following are some of the observations made during the research on the subject at B-BOVID.
- Support small holder farmers with modern agricultural machinery to expand their effort from subsistence farming
- The Centre further rear poultry birds, guinea fowl, ducks, cows, goats, sheep, tilapia and catfish.
- ICT centre for Agricultural studies specially designed for college and University student.
- The factory for the processing of the palm nut and vegetable oil was designed with a work shop attach for accessibility to Agricultural Engineering student to have first hand practical based studies
- The organic vegetable garden mixed with various kinds of fruit plantation ranges from Pineapple, orange, banana, pawpaw, sweet apple was about 120 acres wide to act as an eco-tourism centre for visitors both in and out of western region of Ghana.
Tweneboah Senzu PhD. BGi.
Bastiat Ghana Institute
Email: [email protected]
