While Ghana has underutilized arable farmlands, youth, especially young women, cannot access farmlands. We believe that with a patriotic national campaign and well-coordinated project like Brafie, Chiefs and landowners will be willing to lease farms lands to the youth to engage in sustainable farming.” he said
He also indicated that previous engagements with some Ghanaian chiefs, elders, and landowners show they are willing to support young people should they come up organized and coordinated. Some have even earmarked lands for such purposes.
The Chairperson of the Governing Council of the Chamber, Mr. Richard Addison, enumerated why the chamber and its partner are introducing brafie. According to him, these are but a few of the reasons why brafie has been introduced;
- There is compelling evidence of an aging farmer population in the country which must be addressed to facilitate sustainability in agriculture production. The average age of farmers in Ghana is 55 years, and life expectancy averages between 55 and 60 years.
- Ghana’s food import bill for rice, cooking oil, frozen chicken, and meat (which have become staple food) continues to rise. If this trend continues, the availability of food in Ghana will soon depend on imports, making the country vulnerable to catastrophic events and other exogenous shocks that negatively impact food production from external sources. The youth is strategic to the success of any effort to boost Ghana’s food production.
- The poor image of persons involved in agriculture, especially in the rural communities, needs to be changed, and the youth is the ideal catalyst for such change, given their greater prosperity and wiliness to adopt innovative ideas, concepts, and technology which are all critical to changing the way agriculture is practiced and perceived.
- Increased employment, mainly rural employment, is required as youth unemployment increases.
- Increasing productivity in the agricultural sector depends on the youth, who comprise about 20 – 35 of Ghana’s active population. Their energy and numbers provide tremendous opportunities for increasing agricultural productivity.
- Diversified, modern farming practices.
- Reduction in rural-urban migration.
He added that Brafie is targeted to secure over 5000 acres of farmlands before the end of 2023. These secured farmlands will then be allocated to youth to farm on for a specific period. He ended by calling on Ghanaian chiefs, elders, and landowners to support the project by leasing farmlands to the project.
