Farmers Sweat, Farmers Hope

There are many untold stories from the farm.

A lot of the stories of care for the seedlings are still not told.

The copious sweats and efforts of the hopes of farmers are missed to the final consumer.

The hustle and tussle of carting the goods from the farm to the market are sometimes untold.

The feelings and the reality of getting returns on the investment on the farm are unsaid.

The overwhelming dose of fertilisers and pesticides used on the farm is sometimes unsaid.

The poor quality of soil and the burden of many farmers still using crude technology is untold.

The farmer's dilemma of GMOs, unstable prices, diseases, climate change, and post-harvest losses are often oblivious to many at the table.

On a day like this, we all ought to pause to reflect on how far our agriculture has come 35 years after introducing the award schemes for our farmers in Ghana. 

There is no doubt that trends in the agriculture industry today are fast changing. 

It is a challenge that offers the opportunity to better understand our lots and to create new avenues for farm owners, managers, and all those involved in the food chain in the next decade and beyond. 

It is a challenge that bestows on us the privilege to rethink how to ensure food security while making agriculture the mainstay of our economy.

Looking at current global trends in the sector,
We cannot continue to proffer rhetorical actions on how to use environmentally friendly farm technology, that would entice young farmers to become owners.

We cannot continue rolling out well-intentioned projects that still lack effective monitoring and involvement of all willing to go into farming.

Therefore, with the theme: "Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness Development” we are hopeful to see a significant turnaround in the sector.

With the emphasis on crop specialisation and the changing demographics of meat consumption, we should rethink standards and how to reposition ourselves as a people willing to eat what we grow and rear what we eat in order to sustain the sector.

Since Ghana and Afrika are not an island, we should be mindful of the alarming rise of global temperatures and the widespread controversy over the effects of embracing the GMOs in our farming. 

Beyond politics and policies, we need to critically think about preserving the sovereignty and the safety of our foods in this era where GMOs are being presented as the only way to ensure food security. 

With the drastic changes in our rainfall patterns,  it's clear that irrigation systems can no longer help our farms. 

We need to invest a lot in drought-resistant seedlings and practice precision agriculture.

Sustainable and green agriculture that would not only feed us but help preserve our ecology is what is much needed so that our children's children can also continue to eat in the future.

So as we sit at the table to eat today and every day, may we never forget the sweat of our farmers wherever they may be.

Greetings to our farmers.
©KYB ✍🏿6/12/19