Agriculture is the key to Ghana’s development: Otumfuo Osei Tutu II

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has emphasized that agriculture remains the cornerstone of Ghana’s development and must be prioritized if the nation is to make meaningful progress.

Speaking at the Manhyia Palace during a courtesy visit by the Minister of Food and Agriculture and senior members of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), Otumfuo warned against over-reliance on sectors such as oil to the detriment of agriculture.

“If we neglect agriculture and focus solely on oil or other sectors, we will not achieve true national development. It is agriculture that provides the food we eat and the energy we need for our daily activities,” he said.

He expressed concern over the youth’s growing disinterest in agriculture, warning that the country would be doing itself a disservice if it failed to actively involve young people in the sector.

According to him, agriculture holds the potential to significantly reduce youth unemployment, and deliberate efforts must be made to make it appealing to them.

Otumfuo also acknowledged the challenge of land access for aspiring farmers, urging traditional leaders to support such individuals by making land available for agricultural use.

He called for equitable land tenure arrangements where landowners could receive a fair share of the produce, rather than charging exorbitant prices for land leases.

“It is better to adopt a shared-benefit model, where both the landowner and the farmer gain, rather than scaring off potential farmers with high land costs,” he noted.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, introduced the government’s new “Feed Ghana” programme, an initiative aimed at enhancing food security through home gardening and institutional farming.

He highlighted the economic impact of food imports, revealing that Ghana spends over 2 billion US dollars annually on imported food. He stressed that reducing this expenditure would significantly benefit the local economy.

“With this visit, we are using the opportunity to raise awareness and encourage every citizen to actively participate in the ‘Feed Ghana’ initiative,” the Minister said.

He further noted that KNUST-CANR and other academic institutions are fully supporting the programme and will play a key role in its successful implementation.