Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson says Ghana must move beyond peasant agriculture and modernise food production to reduce its dependence on imports.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday after presenting the 2027 Budget to Parliament, he argued that the country’s land, water resources and youthful population provided a strong foundation for commercial agriculture.
“The current agriculture, peasant agriculture, cannot solve the problems.”
Dr Forson said Ghana spends about US$3.5 billion annually importing foodstuffs. He described that level of dependence as unsustainable.
“We spend about 3.5 billion United States dollars yearly to bring foodstuffs into our country. It cannot continue.”
He responded to questions about proposed investment in commercial agriculture and agribusiness, including oil palm, sugar, rice, poultry, maize, soybean, aquaculture, vegetables, and cocoa.
Source: Myjoyonline