1. FOOD SECURITY IN GHANA:THE DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFUSION OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES By Sylvester Gyamfi Ghana Statistical Service Nov. 2006

2. 2 Introduction  Right to food, a fundamental human right  Households must have reliable supply of food to maintain good health  Over 800 million people worldwide are food insecure  Ghanaians, no exception though the economy is endowed with numerous natural resources  In effective production techniques, low yielding crop varieties, inadequate supplies of water, etc constraints to the achievement of food security  These factors coupled with bushfires resulted in severe famine in the country 1983  Concerted action became imperative to improve food security in Ghana.

3. 3 Action by various Governments  Successive Governments shown interest at improving food security  National Liberation Council (NLC) Government – Operation Feed Yourself (OFY)  The leadership of the National Democratic Congress – Pledged support for the World Food Summit (1996) Plan of Action --Coordinated efforts at ensuring food security at the individual, household, national, regional and global levels --Eradicate Poverty to improve accsess to food -- Ensure Peaceful and Stable Environment, a condition for the attainment of sustainable food security  The ruling government, the New Patriotic Party Government, commissioned a joint FAO/WFP mission to assess food supply situation in Northern Ghana in 2002.

4. 4 Activities undertaken to improve food security in Ghana  Realisation to move away from traditional to modernising agriculture through the application of science and technology  Activities concentrated on: Increased production of selected food crops Production and preservation of fish Livestock production Prevention and management of crop and animal diseases  Increased production of selected food crops Major staple crops selected as starting point  Maize  Rice  Millet  Sorghum  Cassava

5. 5 Activities on selected crops  Ministry of Food and Agriculture link up with research institutions  Research Institutions produce breeder seeds through the application of science and technology  Foundation seeds produced from the breeder seeds through various multiplication projects  Teams of crop protectionists inspect planting materials before they are coppiced for distribution to farmers  Field trips organised for farmers to research-managed demonstration fields as part of technology transfer  Effective use of low cost irrigation techniques (23 Chinese irrigation experts deployed to rehabilitate dams) – ADB/FAO-SPFS  Currently piloting Urine Technology – Urine as liquid manure to fertilize maize, rice, sorghum, plantain, paw paw and other crops on pilot basis

6. 6 Results of application of science and technology  New hybrids of major staples developed  Local names given as follows: Maize Mamaba Sorghum Kapaala Cowpea Akpaabala Soya bean Salintuya  National yield improved considerably under improved technology eg. Cowpea, yield under traditional management practices is 0.3 metric tonnes per hectare whereas yield under improved technology is between 1.8 – 2.0 metric tonnes per hectare

7. 7 Release of improved crop varieties for cultivation  A Committee, The National Varietal Release Committee, announces the release of the improved crop varieties into public domain  Procedures and Processes followed before certification and release Fieldtrips to sites/farms Measurements taken Size of field compared to yield Time for maturity

8. 8 Prevention and Management of Crop Diseases  Establishment of Seed Testing and Health Laboratories  Healthy and resistant crop varieties cultivated  Farmers trained in simple methods of preventing and controlling diseases  Use of approved chemicals

9. 9 Fish Production, Support and Preservation  Improved fishing methods devised  Construction and stocking of fishponds ( Production of fingerlings)  Fieldtrips organized to well established research-managed fish farms as tool for technology transfer  Observation and participatory approaches adopted  Government ‘s support to the fishing industry: Supply of pre-mix fuel Provision of outboard motors and other fishing gear Construction of fish harbours Development of the chorkor smoker  A whole ministry, Ministry of Fisheries has been established to see to the development of the fishing industry

10. 10 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION