The Chief Executive Officer of Akuafo Nketewa, Dr. Charles Nyaaba, has raised concerns over the poor resourcing of district agriculture departments, warning that Ghana’s drive to modernise farming will fail unless extension officers are properly funded and empowered.
Speaking in an interview on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show on this year’s farming season and challenges in the sector, Dr. Nyaaba said conflicting policies and weak budget allocations are crippling agriculture at the district level.
According to him, decentralisation moved the Department of Agriculture under local government services, but district directors now lack the funds to function effectively.
“You know, sometimes we make policies that push the sector, and then we come out with counter policies that take the sector down. The Department of Agriculture used to be under Food and Agriculture. Then, because of decentralisation, the district departments of agriculture were moved to local government services. My discussions with most of the districts is that the agriculture directors do not even have a budget to work with,” he said.
He explained that when district funds are released, education and health are often prioritised, leaving agriculture behind.
“When you go to most districts across the country, not only the Upper East Region, they cannot do anything. Sometimes when you talk to them, they try to deny it, but that is the reality. Even those who have vehicles use them to monitor agriculture, but support is inadequate. They are not given enough resources to monitor the performance of farmers,” he said.
Dr. Nyaaba said the situation has left extension officers, who are expected to drive agricultural modernisation, unable to carry out their duties effectively.
“How can you modernise agriculture when the people who are the agents of modernisation are ignored? In most districts, extension officers are poorly resourced. Some of them use their own motorbikes and even buy fuel with their own money to visit farmers. I can count the number of extension officers who have vehicles,” he stated.
He added that many district agriculture offices are in poor condition, with inadequate furniture and infrastructure.
“Go to most districts and see the kind of furniture the directors are using. Go there and see their offices. You will pity them. And I keep telling them that if they asked me to sit there and help promote the sector, I wouldn’t accept it,” he added.
Dr. Nyaaba stressed that if government is serious about transforming agriculture, it must begin by strengthening district agriculture departments and properly resourcing extension services.
His comments add to growing concerns from farmers and agricultural stakeholders that policy contradictions and weak funding at the district level are undermining efforts to boost productivity and ensure food security.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga
