The programme, which is an initiative of the MOFA and in collaboration with the ‘Ghana 60 Years On’ Secretariat and the Ministry of Education, seeks to increase agricultural production and improve access to food through participatory approach of students, preserving the environment and ensuring social equity.

The programme also aims to encourage all SHSs in Ghana to help reverse the fortunes of the poor and hungry in schools and communities.

The project is to be piloted in 10 schools in each region in the country.

Launch

At the launch of the programme at the Okuapemman Senior High School at Akropong, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, stated that the government was determined to make agriculture profitable and make it very attractive to the youth.

He said that would also go a long way to attract the youth to eke out a living out of that venture.

Dr Akoto said the initiative was also to involve the schools to ensure that the youth were fully engaged in the government's policy of Planting for Food and Jobs.

Core pillars

He indicated that the policy of Planting for Food and Jobs was based on the core pillars of providing seeds and fertilisers to farmers, provision of agriculture extension officers and a guaranteed market for the produce to enable farmers to improve on their socio-economic lives.

He urged the beneficiary schools to embrace the project to enable it to become successful.

Employment

For his part, a Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said agriculture was a means of employment and that" there is no reason why we should not place emphasis on Agricultural Education and allow students to enjoy the benefits of agricultural practices as they plant food to feed their schools".

He gave an assurance that the ministry was committed to working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to bring back school farms which would go a long way to ensure food sustainability.

The Chairman of the ‘Ghana 60 Years On Anniversary’ Committee Secretariat, Mr Ken Amankwah, urged the youth to remember that their beginnings were rooted in agriculture and urged them to embrace the project in an evangelistic manner.

He said the country spent $75 million importing certain foods such as Indomie noodles, adding that “this money can be used for other development projects which will inure to the benefit of majority of Ghanaians.”

Encouragement

The Chief of Mamfe and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Okuapemman SHS, Osabarima Ansah Sasraku III, advised other traditional rulers to embrace and encourage the policy.