ASSESMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS (PFJ) PROGRAMMES: LESSO SAND WAYS FORWARD

Abstract

The "Planting for Food and Jobs" (PFJ) programme implemented in 2017 is aimed at transforming Ghana's agriculture by increasing food production to enhance food security, and employment opportunities. It is against this background that this study was carried out to evaluate potentials of the programme, assess implementation challenges, and suggest ways to improve implementation in the subsequent years. The study was conducted in the Northern, Volta, and Brong-Ahafo Regions and the survey included principal actors across the entire agricultural value chains of maize, rice and soybeans. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results of the study indicated that farmers were more aware of the subsidized fertilizer and seed components; and less aware of the other three packages: e-agriculture, agricultural extension services, and market linkages. There were no special strategies adopted by the programme that targeted women and the youth, hence, just 6% and 15% of the participants were youth and women respectively. However, the major stakeholders perceived the programme to have a great potential of reducing unemployment, poverty and food insecurity. The key implementation challenges include inadequate and untimely supply of inputs, and insufficient education on the programme. The study, therefore, recommends awareness campaign to be mounted in local languages to spell out details of the programme, timely supply of inputs and strengthening of the marketing component of the programme. The study also recommends the engagement of private agro-input dealers to take full charge of the distribution and sale of the inputs with MoFA supervising them. Moreover, the 25% down payment should be abolished and farmers made to pay the full price of the subsidized inputs.