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Former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair says his institution is partnering the Government of Ghana to improve its flagship agricultural programmes.

The Tony Blair Institute of Global Change wants to help government boost its policies of Planting for Food and Jobs as well as the recently launched Planting for Export and Rural Development.

Speaking at a meeting with Ghana’s Agric Minister, Dr. Akoto Afriyie, Mr. Tony Blair said his outfit had identified government’s agric policies as the best.

“We have witnessed the progress that Ghana has been making in the field of agriculture and improving yields and food to the people. We have a partnership with government…We are trying to help the government with its programme for development in the country and its economic progress. And we have just been discussing how we can do that.”

The President recently launched the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) which he says will play a key role in stabilizing the economy.

The programme aims to promote rural economic growth and improve household incomes of rural farmers.

Under the program, farmers will receive certified improved seedlings, extension services, business support and regulatory mechanisms.

Speaking at the launch at the Nursing and Midwifery Training College Park at Dunkwa–On–Offin in the Central Region, the President said the program will not only stabilize the cedi but also create jobs.

“By design, this is expected to be a game changer giving its focus on the development of tree crops and the consequential benefit to be accrued from the programe. Key among them is the programme’s protection to address the critical issue on foreign exchange earning capacity of the economy.

“I raised this issue in the context of the stability of the local currency – a matter that has generated considerable heat in recent times especially, on the political landscape. The obvious cause of the instability in the exchange rate is the imbalance between the supply of and demand for exchange rate.”