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Farmers urge government to reconsider signing the
EPA
Koforidua, Sept. 07, Ghanadot/GNA - Leaders of farmers
groups in the country have called on the government to
reconsider signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
in the interest of farmers in the West African Sub-region.
They appealed to government to
include them in the process of determining and selecting
sensitive agricultural products.
The farmers made the call in a communiqué issued at the end
of a four-day national workshop on sensitive products in
agriculture for leaders of farming groups in Koforidua.
It was attended by representatives of Apex Farmers
Organization of Ghana (APFOG), Ghana Co-operative Council (GCC),
Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF),
Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) and Farmers
Organization Network in Ghana (FONG).
The workshop was organized by FONG with support from Peasant
Farmers of West Africa (ROPPA).
The farmers commended government for involving peasant
farmers in the committee for the preparation towards
National Farmers Day celebration and called for inclusion of
small-scale farmers on other national committees.
They expressed their sympathy for the people of Northern and
Upper East Regions for the deaths and lost of food crops as
a result of the floods and urged government to assist the
victims to help reduce their plight and prevent the youth
from drifting to the south.
The communiqué expressed the support of the farmers for the
ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECWAP) and called on government
to implement the policy.
The farmers appealed to government to give priority
attention to address poor road network in the rural areas,
irrigation in the country, farmers' access to credit,
reduction in lending rates, post harvest losses and
processing of agricultural products.
"When such policies were pursed, the country could attain
self-sufficiency in food production by 2020," they added.
GNA
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