Touching on Government’s efforts at diversifying Ghanaian agriculture, President Akufo-Addo was excited that the traditional authorities at Akwatia have embraced the Oil Palm Project being undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
President Akufo-Addo noted that his Government is giving support to the cultivation of cashew, oil palm, mango, rubber, shea, so the country can reap similar or more benefits like the country does from cocoa.
“We cannot base the growth and development of our country on just a single produce, cocoa. We need to diversify, and a look at other non-traditional exports. Cote d’ivoire gets $16 billion dollars every year from their agricultural exports. We, in Ghana, get only $2 billion. That is not good enough,” the President bemoaned.
He continued, “So, in three of four years, the investments we have made into these cash crops will certainly get us about $12 to $15 billion receipts of diversified agricultural exports. I am, therefore, happy that the project here has the full support of Nananom.”
In order to ensure the proper regulation of these crops, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that “before the end of this year, the Tree Crop Authority Bill laid in Parliament will be passed. It will ensure proper regulation of these crops, as has been done with COCOBOD. It will better equip farmers to reap the full benefits of their labour.”
