[ 2017-01-16 ]

Integrate ICT into agric to boost production – Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called
on stakeholders in the agricultural sector to
integrate Information Communication Technology
(ICT) into the sector to boost production and also
better the lot of farmers.

Opening the 68th Annual New Year School and
Conference at the University of Ghana in Accra on
Monday January 16, Mr Akufo-Addo said government
places great premium on the modernisation of the
agricultural sector and the integration of ICT
will not only increase the wealth of farmers and
fisherfolk but guarantee the nation’s food
security as well.

“It is clear that ICT has brought to the fore
new ways of doing things. Given the rapid
penetration of ICT in our society today,
particularly the use of mobile telephones, there
is a realisation that ICT should be integrated to
be effectively used as facilitating tools in
agricultural development to boost its impact on
the lives of our farmers,” he stated.

“ICT provides easier access to markets and
information resources and I have no doubt that if
this is mainstreamed into our agricultural
practices, productivity within the sector will be
increased to ensure that not only will farmers’
input increase but also the nation’s food
security will be guaranteed.”

Mr Akufo-Addo noted that his government’s vision
for the next four years is to modernise
agriculture and improve production efficiency to
achieve food security and profitability for the
Ghanaian farmer.

To achieve this, the president said his government
would “pursue a value addition strategy aimed at
rapidly [prepping] up agro processing and
developing new and stable markets for our
products”, adding: “Our policies and
interventions will encompass full agricultural
value chain and create additional businesses and
job opportunities in the areas of storage,
transport, processing, packaging and marketing of
agricultural produce, all of which will ensure
that our farmers and fisherfolk earn higher
income.”

The 68th Annual New Year School and Conference is
under the theme: “Promoting national development
through agricultural modernisation, the role of
ICT”.

Source - classfmonline.com

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