Viewpoint: If Ghana embraces GMOs, farmers could save nation’s floundering agricultural sector

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Image: Danish Development Research Network

Ghana has prided itself over the years with agriculture being the key backbone of its economy. But for a long time, we have continued to rely on hoe and cutlass, traditional seeds and traditional methods to grow the food we eat. Yet, we continue to hope for a transformation of the [agricultural] sector.

I’m of the opinion that Ghana is sitting on a time bomb with regards to food sufficiency and security, especially with the recent trend and occurrences like the rise of the Fall Army Worms which affected over 110,000 hectares of farm fields in 2017, forcing government to invest [heavily in] chemicals to control them.

[F]igures show that from 2009 to 2017, the contribution of the agriculture sector to the GDP took a whooping decline from 31.8% to 19.0%. Worst of all, from just 2011 to 2014, the contribution of the sector declined from 29.8% to 21.5%.

As a farmer, I am much worried about the fact that all the pragmatic measures President Akufo-Addo and his government are putting in place to raise the standard of agriculture in Ghana might come to naught if we fail to take seriously and fast track the processes leading to the approval of GMOs in Ghana.

Read full, original article: Delay In Approving GMOs In Ghana Is The Highest Form Of Injustice To The Ordinary Ghanaian Farmer

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