Ibrahim Nurudeen
A National Service Personnel in the Tamale Metropolitan and former chief of the Tamale Technical University, Ibrahim Nurudeen has appealed to the government to collaborate with nations that have chalked success in agriculture through advanced technology and other means.
According to him, Africa has about 60 percent of the arable land available for agricultural purposes, yet Ghana has food insufficiency.
He revealed that China has nine percent of the world’s arable land, but they're feeding themselves and about 25% of the world population with enough cereals, including rice, wheat, and grains.
“Am convinced that China and the Chinese people are doing something different to get to where they are today, in the late 80s China used to borrow money from Ghana, but what has changed? This means that it is important for us to strengthen our ties and cooperation with such countries to improve our production, many of us are ready to go into Agriculture but we're under-resourced.”
Addressing Journalists at his private office as part of this year's farmers' day celebration, chief Nurudeen said the youth of Ghana will only show interest in Agriculture if advanced and accessible technology is made available at the local level.
He revealed that owners of farming equipment such as tractors, combine harvesters, corn machines and others are charging local farmers exuberant fees, which he said, is making the agric sector unattractive to the youth and the marginalized.
He urged service personnel to take much interest in Agriculture, stating that, the sector is lucrative.
Chief Nurudeen who's a youth activist further appealed to foreign investors, and civil society groups to support Akufo Addo's government planting for food and jobs policy irrespective of political affiliation, stressing that the policy has made great gains.