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The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has expressed confidence that Ghana will avoid famine despite the severe drought currently affecting Northern Ghana. The region has been hit hard, with no rainfall for over two months, leading to stunted crop growth and raising concerns about food security and the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Channel One TV, Bryan Acheampong dismissed fears of a potential food shortage, assuring the public that such an outcome is unlikely. “I don’t think there will be a repeat of the 1982-1983 event, I don’t believe there will be famine or food shortages. None of that will happen,” he stated.
He attributed his optimism to the advanced predictive tools and intelligence available today, which he believes will help manage the situation better than in the past. “In the 1980s, we didn’t have the predictive tools or the intelligence to handle the situation, which was compounded by drought and fires that ravaged almost the entire country. We don’t have that situation on our hands now, and we’re not going to get there,” Acheampong reassured.
The Minister emphasized that the government has already implemented measures to prevent food scarcity in the country. He noted that the full impact of the drought on markets would likely be felt by the end of September and October, but the government is proactively taking steps to address this.
He also highlighted that farmers still have grain stocks to rely on, stressing the importance of a robust system and support to mitigate any potential food-related challenges. “Even if the crops were doing well, they wouldn’t have been harvested by now. So, farmers still have grain stocks to sustain them until the next harvest in September. We are ensuring that all necessary systems and support are in place by the end of September to see us through,” he explained.
Acheampong expressed confidence that Ghana will not experience a situation similar to the 1982-1983 famine. “No one in this Ministry is thinking about a famine. We’re not going there,” he concluded.
Source:Oanghana.com
