The Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has announced that 2,700 extension agents have been recruited under the Planting for Food and Jobs programme which was launched in January 2017.

Presenting the 2018 Budget and Policy statement in Parliament Wednesday, the Finance Minister stated that a total of 500,000 farmers will be registered in 2018 to benefit from the programme.

The Finance Minister also stated that a “total of 220 tractors and accessories comprising 141 maize shellers, 77 Multi-crop threshers were distributed to farmers and service providers to promote agricultural mechanization. In 2018, Government will under this programme distribute assorted farm equipment including: 200 tractors and matching implements, 1,000 power tillers and walking tractors;

He added that a “total of 192 small dams and dugouts in 64 districts were identified for development under the “One-Village-One-Dam? initiative. Government will in 2018, continue to facilitate and promote double cropping by constructing 50 small dams and dugout, making available additional 147ha of irrigable land for crop production.

Mr. Ofori Atta also stated that the Fall Army Worm which ravaged several hectares of farmlands across the country was successfully managed and kept under control.

According to Mr. Ofori “major milestones achieved nationwide” under the programme are;

• The Distribution of about 80,000 bags of cereal and legume seeds, 36,000 sachets of vegetable seeds and about 2,000,000 bags of fertilizer

• Recruitment of 822 agricultural extension personnel

• Establishment of a task-force to assess status of warehouses and storage facilities nationwide for rehabilitation

• Creation of market opportunities for farmers by linking them with institutional buyers such as School Feeding Programme and Prisons Service and;

• Electronic registration of over 34, 000 farmers out of more than 200,000 manually registered.