NPP Manifesto Highlights (Promises) - On Agriculture and Rural Development
According to the FAO's March 2015 country fact sheet, the agricultural industry accounted for 53% of Ghana's total labour force in 2013. Agriculture also contributed to 22% GDP in the same year.
Here are some promises made by the incoming Akufo-Addo government. Note that these are from the NPP 2016 Manifesto. You can read the full document here.
1. Ensure that farming inputs are readily available within farming communities at affordable prices.
2. Support private certified seed growers to increase substantially the supply of improved seeds to farmers .
3. Increase subsidies on retail prices of seeds, fertilizers and other agrochemicals, and tap into our gas and petroleum resources, to produce locally fertilisers for the industry to improve agricultural yield and save foreign exchange.
3. As a matter of urgency, rehabilite existing public irrigation schemes, including the abandoned Vea Irrigation Scheme.
4. Focuse on developing irrigation schemes in the Afram Plains and the Northern Savannah.
5. Provide a mechanism to capture the water released by the annual spillage of the Bagre dam in Burkina to use for irrigation in the north.
6. Begin immediate discussions with the Government of Burkina Faso for a more controlled spillage of the dam to prevent the flooding that takes place
7.Facilitate the provision of community-owned and managed small-scale irrigation facilities across the country, especially in northern Ghana, through the policy of “One Village, One Dam”.
8. NPP will revive the research programmes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as well as of the agricultural and related sciences departments of our public Universities and other institutions.
9. Furthermore, the NPP will promote, and provide incentives for research into the utilization of remote sensing and satellite imaging technologies to map soil properties nationwide.
10. Reactivate and expand the mass spraying and Hi-tech programmes - replant old cocoa farms with high-yielding and disease resistant plants.
11. The NPP will reintroduce compensation payments under the cocoa disease control programme - ensure that farmers receive increased producer prices plus bonuses high enough to encourage them to produce more cocoa for export.
12. Ensure that the value that farmers receive for their produce is not diluted by depreciation of the cedi against the dollar.
13. Facilitate access to farmlands for youth in cocoa producing areas - set up special schemes to attract youth into cocoa farming.
14. Strengthen and expand local cocoa processing, and intensify the search for new markets for our processed cocoa products.
15. Aggressively promote cattle ranching and will provide incentives to the private sector to develop cattle ranches.
16. In collaboration with the private sector, the NPP will facilitate the establishment of Livestock Development Centres in the three agro-climatic zones to promote the production of cattle and small ruminants like sheep and goats.
17. Facilitate land acquisition for cattle ranching by the private sector.
18. Support our relevant tertiary institutions to train more veterinary doctors and staff, and - enact.
19. Enforce laws to limit cattle grazing to fenced-in areas designated as fodder/grazing banks for cattle.
20. Ensure availability as well as the effective and transparent distribution of pre-mix fuel to fisherfolk.
21. Eliminate import duties for fishing equipment like nets and outboard motors
New Patriotic Party (NPP).
22. Enforce the fisheries management policies, such as those embodied in the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625), including on pair trawling and other illegal and unapproved fishing methods.
23. Protect our fishing stocks by providing patrol boats to stop foreign fishing vessels.
24. Continue with the programme of building landing sites and storage facilities, at places such as Cape Coast, Mumford, Teshie, Axim, Keta, Ada, Jamestown, and Winneba.
25. Restore the Korle Lagoon, including the reintroduction of its fish stocks.
26. In collaboration with the private sector, accelerate aquaculture by promoting extensive fish farming throughout the country.
27. In collaboration with the private sector, the NPP will develop inland fishing across the country by developing related infrastructure.
28. Under our industrialisation policy, promote the local production of fishing nets and other inputs.
29. Support the private sector to expand local production of poultry feed and veterinary products.
30. Support efficient production of both maize and soya beans.
31. Facilitate access to credit by the industry.
32. Encourage local poultry meat processing.
33. Institute anti-dumping measures on poultry.
34. Endeavour not only to expand existing, but also open up new domestic and export markets
35. Develop market support services for selected horticulture, food and industrial crops to enhance production for export.
36. Facilitate and support the establishment of stakeholder-controlled marketing companies for grains and selected products, including a Cashew Marketing Authority.
37. Revive the Grains Development Board.
38. Provide incentives to the private sector and District Assemblies to invest in post-harvest activities.
39. Include the building of pack houses and storage facilities both on farms and in locations close to production centres.
40. Support small and medium scale agro-processing enterprises, particularly women-owned, to acquire the appropriate technology and basic processing machinery.
41.. Continue to expand and upgrade the road infrastructure connecting farming communities to marketing centres.