Dr. Robert Aidoo, who is an Agriculture Economist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, has advised government to upturn security at the boarders of the country to be able to apprehend the culprit who smuggles Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) fertilizer out of the country.
Government’s agriculture support programme, Planting for Food and Jobs has suffered a huge loss through smuggling of the subsidized fertilizer meant for farmers under the initiative by some unscrupulous persons.
The Agricultural Ministry made a shocking revelation that a large number of fertilizer that was smuggled into neighbouring countries including Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali and as far as Cameroon during the last farming season.
Director of crop services at the Ministry Seth Akoto Osei mentioned that, 50,000 bags of fertilizer were smuggled outside the country under the coupon system last year which has since been scrapped.
Speaking to Rite 90. 1 FM at the back of the happening, Dr. Aidoo said, “farmers need the fertilizer to grow more crops, the custom officers must give a helping hand to the government and the security also needs to be beefed up.”
“The government should not be discouraged but must make sure the farmers get the fertilizers for farming. The politics must be taken away from all the support programs”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Select Committee member on Food and Cocoa Affairs and Member of Parliament for Nsuta Kwaman Biposo in the Ashanti region, Hon. Ampofo Adjei debunked the allegation that some politicians have been involve in fertilizer smuggling to other countries; saying it is rather individuals who have made fertilizer smuggling their business for more profit.
The Ministry as part of the measures has introduced new modalities to be used for the distribution of fertilizers to farmers under the fertilizer subsidy policy.
The coupon system which the Ministry introduced in 2018 to check the smuggling of the fertilizers suffered setbacks as some persons printed fake coupons to beat the system.
Explaining the 2019 implementation modalities, Director of Crops at MoFA, Seth Osei Akoto said all fertilizers under the modality must have the Planting for Food and Jobs Program (PFJ) logo at one side of the bag and the other side will also have information about the nutrient level and the information the company the farmers are working with.
Copies of waybills will be given to the regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who will be the first point of call when the fertilizers are sent to their respective regions and districts.
The Ministers and the MMDCEs will work in collaboration with the District and Regional Directors of the Agric Ministry for the equitable distribution of the fertilizers to farmers within their area.
Fertilizers meant for farmers in the three Northern Regions he added will be in 25 kg weight rather than 50 kg as being done in 2018.
The Agronomy Lecturer with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), told Morning Ride host, Austin Ofori Addo improper or poor consultation, monitoring and evaluation characterized the implementation of Planting for Food and Jobs last year.
Dr. Robert Aidoo has also encourage farmers to form Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) or cooperative unions since it would unite and stimulate farmers to work harder.
He said by such unionizations, farmers can deal with government directly by transacting Planting for Food and Jobs inputs directly without necessarily contracting middle men.
Source: Ritefmonline.org/Mac-Jerry Nyamekye
