Parliamentary aspirants pledge to support smallholder farmers

Peasant farmers Association of Ghana, PFAG, has reviewed and identified political party’s manifestos as important in setting national development agenda which has a crucial role in deciding the direction of agricultural development in the country and for that matter, political parties must adhere to every promise made in the manifestos when given the nod in 2017. 

The Association reviewed manifestos of the two biggest political parties in Ghana, the NPP and the NDC on the field of agriculture, since agriculture is the backbone of the economy, offering jobs to about 45 percent of the total population, where small holder agriculture takes more than 70 percent of agriculture productivity. 

This came to light at a parliamentary debate organized by Peasant farmers Association of Ghana and its partners for parliamentary aspirants for the Navrongo Central Constituency in the Upper East Region.  

The debate was aimed at deliberating on the political parties’ promises for the agricultural sector in the 2016 elections. 

It was also to provide opportunity for farmers to interact with their parliamentary candidates to allow for issue based voting. 

The National President of the Peasant farmers Association of Ghana, Abdul-Raman Mohammed, said the association discovered many shortfalls in regards to agriculture which was displeasing according to the Peasant Farmers expectation that political parties need to observe and address immediately. 

Mr. Abdul-Raman cautioned government, Parliament and Political parties to refrain from passing legislations which discriminates against farmers’ seed rights such as choice of seed, access, control and ownership of seeds, also to ensure farmer’s active involvement in legislative decision making at all levels. 

He said they should also commit withdrawal or reviewing the Plant Breeder’s Bill in its current and further, heedful not to enter into any agreement which will have a direct or indirect negative effect on small holder producers. 

Mr. Abdul-Raman said political parties should note that they will be held accountable on the promises they make in their manifestoes, with agricultural development especially the small holder agriculture. 

He therefore, urged political parties to champion a campaign for parliamentary Select Committee on Food and Agricultural to establish gender Sensitive Sub – Committee on Smallholder agriculture that will ensure women’s empowerment be assertive. 

Mr. Abdul-Raman Mohammed commended all the political parties who took part in the debate on their manifestos which contains good strategies to develop agriculture, increase food production, incomes on small holder farmers as well as offering more jobs to the youth especially. 

Programs Co-ordinator of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Victoria Adongo, called on Parliament to implement policies that will enable farmers to have access to quality seedlings. 

She said this was important as certain clauses in the Plant Breeders Bill, PBB, were not favourable to local breeders which, if not addressed, will collapse the local seed industry. 

Madam Adongo said some of the clauses under the Bill protect foreign breeders and gave them the patent to bring in their own seed which could affect the local seed industry and farmers greatly. 

She said Ghana needed to be innovative to ensure that the local researchers, local seed producers and traders, seed multipliers, and local seed companies were protected. 

The political parties who took part in the debate include NDC, NPP, PPP and CPP. Both candidates pledged their outfit’s readiness to support smallholder farmers in the constituency. 

All the aspirants were given fifteen minutes each to spell out their plans and visions for the smallholder farmers in the area. 

They spoke English language and Kasem to the understanding of all present. 

The farmers expressed their satisfaction about the plans and strategies all the candidates have got to boost agriculture in the constituency.

GBC