Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a private company which provides audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, tax and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries, says the success or otherwise of the ‘One-Village-One-Dam’ project will have an impact on the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ program.

The government launched the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs Programme’ with the aim of increasing food security and job creation for the youth while the ‘One-Village-One-Dam’ expected to be launched by end of year aims at ensuring all year-round farming in the three regions of the north, through the construction of irrigation dams in every village in that part of the country.

Presenting the 2018 Budget and Policy statement in Parliament, the Finance Minister stated that a total of 500,000 farmers will be registered in 2018 to benefit from the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ program.

He further noted that government will also distribute 400 tractors and 1000 power tillers and walking tractors in 2018 to help boost productivity.

“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;

“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.” Ken Ofori-Atta said.



Assessing key policy initiatives for 2018 and highlights of the main tax proposals in the budget statement, Deloitte noted that the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ program will fail if the ‘One-Village-One-Dam’ project is unsuccessful.

“An additional benefit of this policy is to reduce the reliance on importation of food and improve the balance of trade. However, this programme is dependent on the successful implementation of the ‘One-Village-One-Dam’ initiative which is to reduce and ultimately end the practice of rain-fed agriculture in the country and the ‘One-District-One-Warehouse’ programme under which modern storage facilities will be developed,” the commentary read.