THERE is no denying the fact that Agriculture is the mainstay of Ghana’s economy. From the days we were colonised by the British through to independence and now our economy continues to thrive on agriculture.
THROUGH the export of primary traditional and non-traditional commodities such as cocoa, gold, diamond, timber, yam, etcetera Ghana earns foreign currency which enables her to meet her recurrent expenditures. In a country where the manufacturing sector is not well developed we find it worrying the news students’ enrolment in the study of Agriculture in our universities is decreasing.
THIS was made known to the Daily Graphic by university lecturers in Agriculture. According to the lecturers the implications of such development are not good for a country such as ours. Against this development, the lecturers are calling for steps to be taken to salvage the problem.
IN our society people particularly those in the urban settings have been made to believe that anything in connection with agriculture belongs to the illiterate and the aged in our rural areas. Urban dwellers prefer more white-collar jobs to farming. Some even feel they lose respect if they venture into farming. That is most unfortunate.
IN SPITE of the valuable contribution made to Ghana’s gross domestic product, farmers in this nation are not treated with respect. They are looked down upon as if the occupation should not be practised at all.
INDEED, we on this paper strongly think that we need to do a lot more to fight some of the misconceptions about farming in this nation. In advanced countries like the USA, for instance, farmers are among the wealthy in society and they are recognized as important ingredients in the development of the US economy. The same thing goes on in countries like Germany, France, UK among others.
WE must start inculcating into our young ones that farmers are equally important like doctors, accountants, engineers, teachers, pastors etc., and the farming occupation is not bad at all. Moreover, as suggested by the lecturers, stakeholders such as the West African Examinations Council, the junior and senior high schools, the universities and the government must all be actively involved to encourage more to take up the study of agriculture.
FURTHERMORE, Today recommends that scholarship schemes and other incentives be instituted to encourage more students to study agriculture, especially at the tertiary level. Such students could even be assisted to learn modern agricultural practices outside and later impart such knowledge acquired into the Ghanaian economy.
