Mahama Urges Formal Workers to Consider Farming
Accra, Ghana - President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians, especially those employed in the formal sector, to view farming not as a rural or part-time pursuit but as a viable and profitable complement to their main sources of income.
Addressing the 41st National Farmers’ Day celebration in Ho on Friday, December 5, the President said agriculture remains the “backbone of Ghana’s economy,” supporting livelihoods, industry, and national food security. He described the perception that farming is reserved for rural dwellers or full-time farmers as “outdated.” “You can be employed and still engage in farming,” President Mahama told the gathering. “Teachers and civil servants can manage farms, and the earnings can support their household income.”
He said broader participation in agriculture by professionals and urban residents would not only strengthen family finances but also reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported food. Mahama encouraged workers to invest in small-scale farms, adopt modern technology, and use improved seeds and irrigation systems to maintain productivity even while employed full-time.
Every year on the first Friday of December, Ghana pauses to honour its farmers, the men and women who feed the nation. For Mahama, the occasion was more than ceremonial; it was a reminder of the nation’s enduring reliance on agriculture as the foundation of its economy and food security.
“Farmers’ Day is a moment of national reflection,” he said. “Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy the sector upon which every other industry depends.”
President Mahama renewed his call for agricultural loans at single-digit interest rates, arguing that accessible and affordable credit is vital to improving food production and preventing farmers from being trapped in cycles of debt.
“We need to make credit available at single-digit rates so our farmers can produce to feed the nation,” he said. “Farmers should not be forced to take loans only to watch all their profits go back to the banks.”
He warned that high-interest loans drain farmers’ incomes, leaving them unable to expand their operations, adopt modern equipment, or improve productivity. Lowering borrowing costs, he added, would boost yields, attract youth into farming, and stabilise rural economies.
President Mahama reaffirmed his government’s commitment to making farming more appealing and sustainable through policies focused on reducing production costs and improving market access. Furthermore, the president reiterated that expanding irrigation and mechanisation, supporting local seed production and modern technology adoption and building a resilient agricultural value chain to enhance the agricultural sector.
He said the goal is to transform farming into “a modern, profitable enterprise that can sustain households, empower youth, and secure Ghana’s food future.”
“Agriculture is not just an occupation, it is the nation’s lifeline,” he declared. “We must make it modern, efficient, and rewarding for all who engage in it.”
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