Minister for Business Development, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim Awal has appealed to India to use its strengths in the fields of agriculture, industry, energy and infrastructure to support Ghana’s efforts to grow those sectors.
With an ambitious target to engage 500, 000 farmers in the Planting for Food and Jobs this year, the Minister said Ghana was ready to tap into India’s rich experience in the agricultural sector.
“We want Indian technology to support us improve on our output and move the agricultural sector forward,” Mr Awal told the Indian business community in Accra yesterday.
The Minister noted that such invaluable support from India would ensure that Ghana is not only self sufficient in food production but is able to augment its food exports.
“We want to move from a factor-driven economy to an efficient-driven economy and agriculture and agribusiness for us are the main drivers,” he stressed.
India ranks 11th and 12th globally in services and manufacturing sectors respectively, and second in the world in the agricultural sector. Indian agriculture in the 21st century is structurally diverse, stronger and superior to the one that existed during the Green Revolution.
Government’s solution to the declining fortunes of the agricultural sector in 2017 was to modernize the sector and to improve productivity.
Measures outlined include provision of improved seeds; supply of fertilizers; provision of dedicated extension services; marketing and E-agriculture; and monitoring.
Industrial support
Pointing to the linkages between agriculture and industry, Mr Awal further appealed for support from India, saying agriculture will feed industry so “we can leapfrog our development.”
On that score, the Minister referred to government’s flagship industrial initiative, the One District, One factory which courted India’s support to ensure that such district enterprises are made to create the much needed jobs.
Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay said government’s drive towards industrial transformation was hinged on value addition and manufacturing more in Ghana so that “we are able to trade with you on a better value base.”
He reckoned that the largest percentage of Indian businesses in Ghana were into manufacturing both by number and by value.
Indian businesses, he urged should take full advantage of the advent of continental free trade to locate their businesses in Ghana and manufacture from Ghana and have access to 1.2billion people on the continent.
The Deputy Minister encouraged the businesses to register with the One District, One Factory Secretariat.
“Come and register and tell us what your expansion plans are,” he said.
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