The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has announced a plan to establish the Ghana Food Brigade, a major national service initiative aimed at substantially enhancing agricultural productivity and bolstering national food security.
The programme is scheduled for launch before the end of December and will initially recruit 10,000 young individuals into a rigorous four-year national service scheme focused exclusively on the agricultural sector.
According to Minister Opoku, a key component of the initiative is the commitment to permanently absorb the recruits into the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) upon completion of their service.
This strategic integration is intended to drastically strengthen agricultural extension services and ensure sustained, high-quality technical support for farmers nationwide.
“It is our hope that the Ghana Food Brigade will be launched before the end of December this year.”
“In addition, 10,000 youth are being enrolled on the national service scheme under a four-year programme.
“Each year, a portion of this youth will be retained as permanent ministry staff to augment agricultural extension delivery.”
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, November 24, Mr Opoku explained that the initiative is designed to cultivate a highly skilled and professional agricultural workforce, thereby enhancing the sector’s long-term stability and growth.
He stressed that the large-scale youth recruitment plan is critical to improving extension delivery across all regions of the country.
The Ghana Food Brigade is expected to become a vital operational wing in the nation’s efforts to promote national food security, modernise agricultural practices, and ensure consistent and high-level technical support for farming communities.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana