President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on stakeholders in the agricultural sector to integrate Information Communication Technology (ICT) into the sector to boost production and also better the lot of farmers.

Opening the 68th Annual New Year School and Conference at the University of Ghana in Accra on Monday January 16, Mr Akufo-Addo said government places great premium on the modernisation of the agricultural sector and the integration of ICT will not only increase the wealth of farmers and fisherfolk but guarantee the nation’s food security as well.

“It is clear that ICT has brought to the fore new ways of doing things. Given the rapid penetration of ICT in our society today, particularly the use of mobile telephones, there is a realisation that ICT should be integrated to be effectively used as facilitating tools in agricultural development to boost its impact on the lives of our farmers,” he stated.

“ICT provides easier access to markets and information resources and I have no doubt that if this is mainstreamed into our agricultural practices, productivity within the sector will be increased to ensure that not only will farmers’ input increase but also the nation’s food security will be guaranteed.”

Mr Akufo-Addo noted that his government’s vision for the next four years is to modernise agriculture and improve production efficiency to achieve food security and profitability for the Ghanaian farmer.

To achieve this, the president said his government would “pursue a value addition strategy aimed at rapidly [prepping] up agro processing and developing new and stable markets for our products”, adding: “Our policies and interventions will encompass full agricultural value chain and create additional businesses and job opportunities in the areas of storage, transport, processing, packaging and marketing of agricultural produce, all of which will ensure that our farmers and fisherfolk earn higher income.”

The 68th Annual New Year School and Conference is under the theme: “Promoting national development through agricultural modernisation, the role of ICT”.