Professor Irene Egyir is the Dean of the School of Agriculture at the University of Ghana
A renowned Agriculture Economist and Dean of the School of Agriculture at the University of Ghana, Professor Irene Egyir, has expressed disappointment with the slow pace of implementation of government agricultural initiatives.
Speaking in an interview as monitored by GhanaWeb Business, Egyir acknowledged the good intentions behind these initiatives but criticised the lack of timely execution, which she believes is crucial in agriculture.
“Timing is crucial in agriculture, especially when we depend heavily on rainfall patterns. When inputs arrive late, farmers lose the opportunity to plant at the right time, which ultimately affects productivity and food security,” she said.
She pointed out the challenges farmers face in accessing government agricultural support programs.
She also noted that even farmers with their own resources who want to participate in community farming initiatives struggle to benefit from these programs due to administrative barriers.
“We have farmers who are willing to invest their own money, but they cannot access the support they need because of cumbersome processes,” she stated.
She urged the government to simplify and streamline agricultural support
programs, making them more accessible to farmers across the country.
“If we can make these programs farmer-friendly, we can boost productivity, reduce food imports, and ultimately improve food security,” she advised.
Her call comes at a time when food inflation remains a pressing concern, despite efforts to sustain Ghana’s current disinflation path.
By addressing the challenges in agricultural support programs, she believes that the country can make significant strides in improving agricultural productivity and reducing its reliance on food imports.
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