By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, July 22, GNA – Ghana’s agriculture sector is facing shortage of extension officers, with each officer currently serving an average of 1500 farmers lower than the standard of 500.
The alarming deficit was disclosed by Mr. Eric Opoku, Minister of Food and Agriculture, during the presentation of 150 motorbikes to extension officers to improve mobility and service delivery.
“ Our records show that one extension officer in Ghana caters to about 1,500 farmers, making it nearly impossible to provide effective training and support. This gap severely limits the adoption of modern farming techniques and keeps productivity low,” he said.
He noted that agriculture extension played a crucial role in bridging the gap between research institutions and farmers by disseminating knowledge on improved seeds, soil management, pest control and post-harvest practices.
However, their limited numbers have left thousands of farmers without vital guidance.
“ Without sufficient extension services, even the best agriculture policies and research breakthroughs will fail to reach smallholder farmers,” he said.
The Minister, stated that this situation contributed to Ghana’s reliance on $2 billion worth of food imports annually, despite having fertile land and favourable weather.
Mr. Opoku disclosed that the Ministry was recruiting additional Feed Ghana Coordinators to support overburdened extension officers.
He said the newly procured motorbikes will also enhance mobility enabling officers to reach remote farming communities regularly.
“These motorbikes will help our officers move from farm to farm, ensuring no farmers is left behind. Thirty of them are specially designed for female extension officers to promote inclusivity.
The Minister also said his outfit had also registered 42, 822 farmer cooperatives nationwide to streamline extension services.
This, he noted, would be implemented by grouping farmers to crop type and location ensuring that officers conducted training sessions and distributed inputs efficiently.
GNA
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong