President John Dramani Mahama has commended Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku, describing him as “one of the best Agriculture Ministers Ghana has had” during the launch of a new vegetable development initiative at Atukum in the Asunafo South District and a groundbreaking ceremony for a chicken and meat processing centre in Bechem.
The President said the renewed vegetable drive is central to improving food security, cutting imports and supporting smallholder farmers.
Mr Opoku, who also serves as MP for Asunafo South, has been leading the Feed Ghana Programme introduced in April to boost domestic production, stabilise prices and supply raw materials for agro-processing.
Under the programme, the Ministry has rolled out the YƐREDUA Vegetable Development Project, promoting greenhouse farming, irrigation-supported production and access to quality seedlings through nationwide nurseries.
In the poultry subsector, the Minister has initiated the Nkoko Nketenkete backyard poultry initiative, expanded support for large and medium producers and overseen the distribution of birds to households to reduce reliance on imports.
A modern soya processing plant is also being established in the North to strengthen the poultry feed chain.
The Feed Ghana Programme further includes expanded irrigation, dam rehabilitation and institutional farming support.
At Bechem, President Mahama broke ground for a new chicken and meat processing centre, described as a key pillar of the country’s poultry value chain and local meat processing efforts.
