Development advocate and Chairman of the Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM), Wenawome Duriyem Aborah, has called on the government to back its Feed Ghana Initiative with practical investments that will make agriculture attractive and profitable for young people, while urging the youth to embrace farming as a business.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Mr. Aborah said agriculture remains the backbone of Ghana’s economy and should receive sustained investment beyond policy announcements if the country is to achieve food security and create employment.
“Farming is the backbone of every society and every nation. Without food, people cannot work, and without agriculture, there can be no meaningful development,” he said.
The Feed Ghana Initiative, launched by the government as a flagship agricultural programme, seeks to increase domestic food production, strengthen food security, create jobs, reduce food imports, and promote value addition through expanded irrigation, mechanisation, and support for farmers.
Reflecting on the agricultural history of the Paga area, Mr. Aborah lamented the decline of what was once a thriving tomato production and trading hub.
He recalled that the community’s commercial success was so significant that a section of the town became known as the “Tomato Market,” a name that still exists despite the collapse of the once-thriving trade.
“Today, the place is still called Tomato Market, but there are no tomatoes to sell. The thriving business that once existed has disappeared,” he said, attributing the decline partly to production and trade challenges in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Mr. Aborah stressed that while the government has the primary responsibility to create an enabling environment for agriculture, citizens also have a duty to demand accountability and contribute to national development.
“We should not place all the blame on the government. We, the people, are also part of the government. We have a responsibility to demand the right policies and ensure they are implemented for the benefit of our communities,” he stated.
He further expressed concern that individuals who advocate accountability are often misunderstood or labelled as opponents of those in authority, a situation he said discourages active citizenship and weakens democratic governance.
Mr. Aborah urged young people to change their perception of agriculture, describing it as a viable business with the potential to generate employment and wealth rather than a last-resort occupation.
He also called on the government to complement the Feed Ghana Initiative with practical interventions, including access to mechanisation, irrigation infrastructure, modern farming technologies, affordable financing, and reliable markets to make agriculture more appealing to the country’s growing youth population.
According to him, only a combination of sound policies and sustained investment will enable the initiative to transform Ghana’s agricultural sector and encourage more young people to venture into farming.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Apiah | Paga
