Nigeria's past just sounds like Ghana's now but I bet with the sort of plans they have put in place reading from this story, they will overtake Ghana in cocoa production in no time. Perhaps we can draw a lot of parallels from this story and Ghana's handling of the Cocoa industry. The ivory coast after its war has increased its cocoa production to almost double what Ghana is producing today. My question is, are we not over concentrating too much on our oil and neglecting our Agriculture especially the Cocoa industry? what is the cocoa board doing to encourage increase in production, adding value and protecting our borders from smuggling etc. just saying...much more needs to be done http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/african-and-mideast-business/nigeria-nurtures-its-once-unloved-cocoa-industry-as-prices-flourish/article20379625/

Do Ghanaian farmers have pension?

Is there an Agric pension plan or fund for Ghanaian farmers? I am only asking maybe there is and I stand to be corrected but I ask this because it appears it is mandatory for all employers & workers to pay some sort of pension whether you like it or not. Why has nothing been put in place for farmers? Perhaps the exception is Cocoa farmers....the question is..... are they the only ones playing a role in Agriculture in Ghana? I wish we could put this question forward to the policy makers?

Pineapple Production in Ghana

Useful and interesting points in this story in the link that comparisons and deductions can be made to pineapple production in Ghana. Question though..... Is the pineapple industry in Ghana still vibrant? Has the overly production of MD2 killed the industry? I am just asking....these are the kind of questions that the Rite Fm news team might want to direct to farmer based organizations such as SPEG, PRINPAG etc. http://i-pineapple-a.blogspot.com/2014/09/africa-nigeria-banks-heavy-on-pineapple.html

Backyard Gardening or farming

                                                     A backyard garden

I am writing to encourage those who have a little parcel of land in their homes to use it purposefully by planting a fruit tree or cultivating vegetables or food that you can eat.  Backyard gardening or farming appears to have been lost on many families in Ghana but it is a practice that can be very rewarding. 

It offers a lot of exercise for the one who is doing it, it provides you with your own food, you do not have to go into mainstream farming where one has to buy land and employ farmhands. The food being cultivated can be made organic and offers you protection against what you buy from unknown sources from the open market.

These days other types of backyard gardening are being introduced, using Greenhouse technologies and aquaponics. This is not to say that these technologies are restricted to backyard gardening as  many commercial farms are using these methods. If you are an Agriculture enthusiast it is one way to practice your passion.

www.ritgefmonline.org an  award winning radio station focused on Agriculture and social development

Today's Topical Bible Study

Today's Topical Bible Study

I enjoyed reading this article and felt a strong urge to share this. Hope this finds a place in your heart whether you are a christian or not

 Story culled from http://allafrica.com/stories/201404220654.html

In my opinion, are African leaders really serious about improving the welfare of their people? They talk as if they know all the problems yet do very little to solve them. What do they end up using the resources of the countries they lead for? Your guess is as good as mine. Reading this article I got so angry I thought I was going to get a heart attack because one can do very little about the situation. I share in Dr. Awiti's assertion and advice for African leaders and its advisors t to wake up!!!!! I went into Agriculture thinking I was going to make a difference but I am so disillusioned.  Hear this:-
According to President Museveni, malnutrition impairs educational achievements, undermines economic productivity and places a huge burden on Uganda's fragile public health system. The African Development Bank (AfDB) recognizes that Agriculture is vital to promoting growth and reducing poverty in Africa. As an African scholar and public intellectual, I am scandalized and my pride is deeply wounded by the unending specter of hunger and malnutrition. It is shameful, beyond measure or pardon, that fifty years with Africans at the helm, little progress has been made to guarantee every African child sufficient and nutritious food. I am sure there is enough blame to go round; the UN system and the multi-billion dollar international aid honchos are not innocent.

But, ultimately, the burden of responsibility must rest with people like me, Africa's intellectual elite. 

Here what Dr. Awiti  the director of the East Africa Institute and assistant professor at Aga Khan University, has to say:-

Is this guy for real. Has he not got the power to make a difference? so what is the difference between him and myself? if he who has more than enough power to make a difference is scandalized what are we ordinary people to say?

Stagnation of agriculture has been the defining feature of Africa's economic policy over the last four decades. Spending in agricultural research and development by African countries declined by 27 percent between 1981 and 2000. Conversely, spending in agricultural research and development rose by 30 percent in rest of the developing world; Asia and Latin America.

Egged by experts the African Union, through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), has set a growth target of 6% per annum for agriculture and encourages every country to allocate 10 percent of the national budget to agriculture. CAADP called for $251 billion to fund investments in irrigation, infrastructure, education and markets. Today, less than handful countries allocate 10 percent of their national budget to agriculture and critical investments in agricultural research and development lag behind other developing regions..............

Africa has a large and growing population of young people. Where will young Africans currently entering the labor force find employment? Africa has the lion's share of the world's arable land. Agriculture is uniquely positioned to absorb this young and dynamic workforce. Africa's youth dividend will not be credited automatically into the national treasury. We can harness the youth dividend by accelerating the transformative change in agriculture.

African governments and their expert advisors must wake up. There is no such thing as a dual economy in which agriculture is a passive actor - a low productivity supplier of food and a subordinate driver of national growth and economic transformation. Agriculture is the real driver of Africa's economic growth. There will be no transition to China-style labor-intensive manufacturing until agriculture is productive, efficient and profitable.

Our path to middle income and economic prosperity must be different. Africa must shun technical advisors external beholden to the antiquated linear growth models - from hunter-gatherer to agrarian to industrial to service and knowledge. Our research and academic community must re-imagine our unique path to prosperity.