Agriculture and Ghana

AGRICULTURE is an important enterprise in Ghana. It is estimated that about seventy percent (70%) of the working population are engaged in agriculture. It contributes to the basic necessities of life. Human beings cannot survive without crop plants and farm animals which we obtain food from. Agriculture according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary is the science or practise of farming including the growing of crops and the rearing of animals. To many Ghanaians, agriculture simple means farming. Farming is the act, science and skill of cultivating the soil to produce crops and the rearing of livestock and other farm animals.

Ghana map

Ghana is located along the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean in the sub region of West Africa. It is the eighty - second (82nd) largest country in the world and thirty - third (33rd) in the continent of Africa by land mass and has the land mass of 238535km^{2 .  It has population of  approximately 27 millions and the world's 45th most inhibited nation. Ghana varied agro -}ecological zone include  the Rain forest zone, Coastal belt zone, Deciduous forest zone, Transitional zone, Northern savanna zone which is made up of Guinea and Sudan savanna respectively. Agriculture therefore means alot to this country. It plays important roles in the national economy and social development. Below are some of the benefits the Ghana derives from agriculture. 

Vegetables

• Supply food to the people : Food is necessary when it comes to the provision of nutritional needs of the people. Lack of food in the country can lead to malnutrition which can leads to poor economy due to the fact that malnutrition reduces the ability of people to work efficiently. When the country is self sufficiency in food production, the money which would have been used to import food from foreign country could be use in the development of the nation. With food on the table of every Ghanaian, nutrients which are carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins will be supply to them to build their mental, social as well as emotional development.
• Income for farmers : Farmers can get money from food crops, cash crops, and animals that they produce. The money that the farmers get can be used to purchase farm inputs and other seeds to expand their farms. The money can also be used for the up keeping of the family thus raising his / her standard of living.
• Provision of raw materials for the local industries : Industries depend on raw materials for their production. While some of them have farms that supply them with the raw materials, others depend on farmers to supply them. When farmers are able to supply the needed raw materials to the industries in the country, the country will be industrialize thus enhancing development. The country will shun from importing raw material from foreign country hence saving money for national development.
• Foreign exchange to the country : When farmers are able to produce enough raw materials to feed our industries, the excess can be exported to other country to earn money. Cash crops such as cocoa, coffee and pineapple are exported from the country to earn foreign exchange.These earnings could be used to purchase tractors, pesticides and  other agriculture inputs.
•    Source of employment : Agriculture serves as the source of employment to many people in the country. Many working people in the country still have farms that they do along their work. Many people are engaged in both farming and non - farming occupations.

  Ghanaian woman weeding

From the above, it is vividly clear that, the country benefits from agriculture production. Although agriculture has many benefits to the country, it is bedevil with many problems. I will discuss these challenges in my next post. Do not hesitate to come this blog and read the next post. Subscribe to the blog to receive new information and updates,

Posted by kroot4 at 13:09

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Labels: farming