Koforidua Aug. 29, GNA - The Ghana National Agricultural Technical Class Association (GNATCA) has commended the Government for the various agricultural interventions put in place, especially the signing of the Millennium Challenge Compact.

Mr Emmanuel Fritz Kuwornu, National President of the Association, also said that the recent demonstration package provided farmers through the Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), was highly appreciated. Addressing the national executive council meeting in Koforidua on Friday, he urged members to properly co-ordinate those opportunities, using sustainable methods to boost productivity for income generation and food security, adding that, those attributes would drastically reduce poverty and improve the living standards of Ghanaians. Mr Kuwornu urged members to assist farmers to maximize their profits through improved agricultural practices. "It behoves on all agriculturists to make their impacts felt as seasoned professionals, by leading farmers to adopt innovations and agricultural technologies".

Mr Ofosu Asamoah, Deputy Eastern Region Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, attributed the causes of low productivity by farmers to the employment of rudimentary methods and equipment in farming without much consideration for scientific purposes. He therefore urged the association to adopt comprehensive policy and strategy to educate farmers on the need to adopt modern methods of farming practices to be able to increase food production. Mr Asamoah advised agricultural stakeholders to work hand in hand with MOFA in addressing the cultural component of agriculture, to ensure the survival of proven traditional and indigenous food production systems and practices.

"As agriculturists, you must be responsible for introducing technologies and disseminating it to agriculture stakeholders within the context of Government policies". The meeting was on the theme, "Revitalizing Agricultural Productivity Towards Food Security and Income Generation; The Role of the Agriculturist".