The Minister designate for Food and Agriculture, Dr Afriyie Akoto, has pledged the commitment of the government to support farmers to use technology and modern forms of farming to increase their yield. Dr. Afriyie explained that even though the country would not adopt the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in farming, well researched methods such as hybrids and grafting will be used to improve crop varieties.
The minister designate made this known when he took his turn before the parliamentary Appointments Committee.
Responding to a question about the call by Sovereignty Ghana for his nomination to be dropped because he is alleged to have supported the introduction of GM crops in the country through the introduction of the Plant Breeders Bill, he described the call as unfortunate and ill-informed.
“I do not know why some people think the Plant Breeders Bill is meant to support GMOs in the country”, he said adding that “the bill only seeks to protect the intellectual property of our agriculture research scientists and nothing to do with GMOs.”
Dr Afriyie-Akoto who sounded confident and was on top of issues regarding the agric sector he will be heading said much as GMO has helped many countries to boost their agricultural sector, Ghana was not ready for GMOs and gave the assurance that, when given the nod, he would ensure that various methods of farming to increase yield at a lesser cost for farmers will be championed.
