President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured stakeholders in the agricultural sector of Governments’ commitment to increase efficiency in agricultural production through valued addition, storage and enhanced marketing facilities.

Consequently, for the next four years, government would aim its policy interventions in modernising agriculture at value chain addition and creating additional business that would generate job opportunities in the areas of storage, processing, packaging and marketing agric produce to ensure higher incomes for farmers and fisher folks.

President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance in a keynote address at the 68th New Annual Year School which opened at the University of Ghana, Legon on Monday.

The 2017 edition of the New Year School, under the theme “Promoting National Development through Agricultural Modernization: The Role of ICT,” focuses on modernising agriculture through the application of Information Communication Technology to increase agricultural production and making the sector vibrant to create employment for the youth.

The conference would also discuss climate change and its effects on the agricultural sector and create a common platform for farmers to share relevant market and weather information.

President Akufo-Addo said under the comprehensive scheme, district assemblies and traditional authorities would be assigned specific roles in agricultural development, and that the interventions would specifically target and support women in agriculture. He expressed hope that the deliberations at the School would come out with suggestions that would help integrate ICT into the agriculture to accelerate and modernise the sector.