The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Eric Opoku, has urged schools across Ghana to introduce the concept of school farms.
He explained that such initiatives would not only provide students with food for consumption but also spark interest in agriculture as a viable and lucrative career.
Addressing the Food, Agriculture, Technology, and Sustainability Conference in Ho, themed “Rethinking the Future of Food and its Allied Systems in an Era of Sustainability and Circularity”, Mr Opoku emphasised that institutions from the university level to basic schools should start school farms.
He noted that early exposure would help students appreciate agriculture and consider it among the best professional options.
The Minister revealed that MoFA plans to recognise schools, from primary to tertiary institutions, which implement school farms at the National Farmers’ Day celebration on December 5, 2025, in Ho.
He highlighted that prominent Ghanaians, including President John Dramani Mahama, the Asantehene, and some Members of Parliament, were engaged in agriculture, underscoring its potential as a wealth-generating profession.
Mr Opoku explained that negative perceptions of agriculture among youth, shaped by punitive tasks such as weeding in schools, must change. “Agriculture remains one of the richest professions globally, and our youth must embrace it to help reduce unemployment,” he said.
Supporting the call, International Researcher, Prof. Eric Danquah, stressed the importance of promoting agriculture through research and practical application, praising the government’s establishment of a research fund to link findings to field practice with the help of agricultural extension officers.
Prof. Ibok N. Oduro of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology added that developing local traditional food varieties would enhance nutrition and health among Ghanaians.
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