In his inaugural address, the Regional Minister said during the 2016 electioneering campaign, one of the key messages of the NPP was to modernize agriculture, improve food production efficiency, and achieve food security and profitability for famers which were all aimed at significant increasing agricultural productivity.

The Minister noted that the objective of the policy was to ensure immediate and adequate availability of food in large quantities in the country through improved productivity and intensification of targeted Government of Ghana support to Private Sector Service providers. He added that, the secondary objective of the campaign is to provide jobs opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth in the agriculture and allied sectors.

He called on the members of the technical committees to give off their utmost best by adhering to their terms of reference and deliver on their mandate. “I would like to assure you that the Government is highly committed to the implementation of this important programme”, he said.

The Minister said about 1600 Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) and 2,600 Assistant AEAs would be employed across the country for the policy. The Terms of reference for the programme was handed over by the Minister to the Municipal and District Coordinating Directors.

Mr. I. K. Acheampong MCD for Techiman receiving the Terms of Reference from the Regional Minister, Hon Asomah-Cheremeh

Mr. I. K. Acheampong the Municipal Co-ordinating Director (MCD) for Techiman in his welcome address noted that the inauguration of the District Technical Committee for the “planting for food and jobs” programme marks a historic milestone in the modernization of Agricultural sector of Ghana. He noted that the programme would ensure food sustainability and security, create employment, and boost food production in the areas of sorghum, rice, maize, millet and vegetables across the length and breadth of the country. 

He observed that it will also help provide raw materials to feed the one District, one factory policy of the Government. The 13 Municipal and Districts involved include Techiman Municipal and Techiman North, Nkoranza Municipal and Nkoranza North, Kintampo Municipal and Kintampo North and Wenchi Municipal. Others include Pru, Banda, Tain, Sene East and West, Atebubu-Amantin