If really the government intends to boost the agricultural sector in order to create more jobs for the youth, then it must commit about 10 per cent of the national budget to it in the 2017 budget, Daniel Acquaye, an agribusiness expert, has said.
According to him, the current growth rate of the sector clearly indicates the sluggish attitude of past governments towards the sector that employs about 50 per cent of the population.
His comments come at a time the government of Ghana, through the Finance Ministry, is preparing the 2017 budget for the fiscal year.
Speaking on Business Edition on Metro TV on Tuesday, 7 February, Mr Acquaye said: “If the agricultural sector is employing about 50 per cent of your people and is growing at 0.04 per cent, then definitely a lot of people are out of job and that is why the focus of investing in agriculture is key.
“When you invest in agriculture, the returns or the multiplier effect is four times investing in any other sector. If we can put 10 per cent of our budget into agriculture, the growth rate will grow by seven per cent.”
Mr Acquaye added: “If you don’t invest such that it directs to the supply of raw materials, then you can have the feeder roads and will only be transporting people and you will have your produce in the farms going waste.”
Source: Ghana/AccraFM
