In an unprecedented move, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is rolling out the Phase Two of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ 2.0) initiative, targeting senior high schools across Ghana. This comprehensive program aims to engage interested schools in farming, providing them with a partial grant that includes crucial inputs such as improved seeds and fertilizers. As the planting season looms, particularly in the southern and middle belts of Ghana, the ministry is extending its support to empower schools to undertake massive farming projects.
Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the sector Minister, underscored the significance of this initiative during a media briefing in Accra. He highlighted that schools engaging in this program would contribute to stabilizing food prices and ensuring that crops produced by general farmers remain available for the broader market. The ambition is clear: to nurture a generation that is not only educated but also skilled in sustainable farming practices.
“We want to give every senior high school in Ghana that is willing to do school farming the opportunity; the ministry now stands ready to support them, especially those in the southern and middle belt where the planting season is about starting.
“We are now willing to support them to engage in massive school farming.
With that, the school will now be able to feed on the grains, legumes and cereals that they have cropped, and thereby leaving what our general farmers have planted for the market for the rest of the population,” the sector Minister, Dr Bryan Acheampong announced, last Monday.
Technology Meets Tradition
In an age where technology is at the forefront of innovation, the PFJ 2.0 initiative is no exception. Interested schools can apply through the Ghana Agriculture and Agribusiness Platform (GhAAP), a mobile and web application designed to streamline the enrollment process. The application requires heads of schools to enter their details, which are then verified with the Accountant General’s Department to ensure authenticity. This digital approach simplifies the process, ensuring that support reaches the schools efficiently and effectively. Upon approval, schools are assigned coordinators, and the district agriculture offices are promptly informed to facilitate the commencement of the farming projects.
“It is the school that must fill the form, and in doing so, the head of the school must enter his or her full name and staff number, and the number and name must match with what is on file with the Accountant General’s Department,” Dr Acheampong explained.
With the farming season around the corner, the call to action is urgent. The ministry’s readiness to support schools in the southern sector is a testament to the government’s commitment to agricultural education and sustainability. By integrating farming into the school curriculum, students gain practical experience that complements their academic knowledge, fostering a well-rounded education.
Source: Graphic Online
