Comfort Acheampong Urges Revival of School Agriculture Programs to Inspire Young Farmers

Comfort Acheampong, Coordinator of the Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS), has urged the government to reintroduce agriculture as a core subject in schools.

This move aims to encourage students to engage in practical farming, boosting food security and sovereignty. Acheampong, a former agricultural science tutor, recalled how agriculture was previously taught as a core subject, enabling students to produce crops and rear chickens for consumption or sale.

She emphasized the need to sensitize students at a young age, making agriculture more attractive and encouraging them to develop an interest in the field.

Acheampong made this call during the International Youth Day celebration, organized by the World Food Forum Ghana, at Accra Academy Senior High School.

Other speakers, including Alberta Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, and Mr. Bagbara Tanko, Head of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), echoed the importance of youth involvement in agriculture.

They highlighted the need for innovative approaches, use of technology, and government support to leverage agriculture for socio-economic growth and development.

The event aimed to engage students in the agriculture value chain, addressing the challenge of low local poultry production, which stands at 57,871 metric tons against a demand of 400,000 metric tons.

By reintroducing agriculture as a core subject, Ghana can empower its youth to drive food production and productivity, meeting future demands and achieving sustainable development goals by 2030.