Making the farmers’ awards work
The fact that agriculture ought to be the backbone of Ghana’s economy cannot be over-emphasised. The country is replete with vast arable lands and vegetation that can be used to boost our food security, expand our agricultural exports for good foreign exchange and create job opportunities for the youth. Indeed, economic analysts have always identified agriculture as the most realistic path for the country’s rapid economic growth and prosperity.
Advertisement
One innovation the government has been using to encourage agricultural productivity since 1985 is the annual National Farmers’ Day awards. The annual national event which is held on the first Friday of every December with the status of a statutory public holiday, awards farmers and fishermen from the district to national levels with the goal of motivating them for higher productivity.
However, in order to make the awards have a better impact on the farmers, there is the urgent need to review how the awards are given. In my candid but humble opinion, there are four main issues that must be looked at in relation to the annual Farmers’ Day awards.
Encouraging specialisation
First, the yardstick with which the best farmers at the district, regional and national levels are determined does not encourage the much-needed specialisation intended for higher productivity. A critical evaluation of the yardsticks used to determine awardees from the district to national levels generally indicates that any farmer who is able to do a bit of almost all facets of agriculture or farming, including crop farming with a variety of crops, animal husbandry with variety of animals and fish farming, among others, can win an award.
If the purpose of the annual awards is to motivate for higher production in the agricultural sector, then these awards should be targeted at farmers and fishermen who have specialised in specific areas of agriculture with the goal of expanding for higher production. In the world over, the issue of specialisation in any life endeavour is recognised as a positive step for quality assurance and a catalyst for higher productivity.
Making awards equitable
Second, the organisers of the annual ceremony seem to put business tycoons in farming and peasant farmers together in determining the best farmers and fishermen. Putting together business tycoons in farming who are already successful in their farming businesses and peasant farmers who are struggling to be noticed together for awards is highly inequitable and unfair.
Therefore, in order to make the awards more meaningful and impactful, large-scale commercial farming awards should be distinguished from peasant farming awards. Whereas successful commercial farmers need just a pat on the back for their contributions to the sector, our peasant farmers need more than a pat. They need special motivation in terms of support in order to expand their agricultural activities for the benefit of both the farmers themselves and Ghana as a whole. Putting peasant farmers into the same awards category with successful commercial farmers is like putting the elephant and the goat on a field for a tug-of-war. Who is likely to win? Your guess is as good as mine.
Awards for recognition and awards for support
Third, there must be a clear distinction between awards for recognition and awards for support in our bid to encourage high productivity as we celebrate our farmers and fishermen. Our local farmers and fishermen who have shown ingenuity and practical commitment to contribute to agricultural productivity, especially to the local economy, must be awarded with donations of the best of farming equipment, including vehicles to support them to accelerate their farming activities with the view to transforming them from peasant farmers to large-scale commercial farmers.
Other Trending Stories
On the other hand, large-scale but successful commercial farmers who have tangibly contributed to national development through their farming businesses should be appreciated with awards of certificates, perhaps signed by the President. They may also be granted other incentives such as tax credits from the government in order to sustain their businesses.
Going beyond individuals
And fourth, the award should not be limited only to individuals in the agricultural sector but also government agencies and private corporate bodies that have helped in diverse ways to promote modernisation in farming in particular and agriculture in general for higher national productivity. In this regard, there must be an award category for agencies and companies which deal in agriculture in order to appreciate their invaluable contribution to the development of agro-businesses in the country. Such corporate bodies must also be part of the celebrated on this auspicious occasion.
It is imperative therefore, that periodic evaluation of the awards is made in order to assess the impact of the awards being given on Farmers’ Day. The celebration of the day and its associated awards is a wonderful innovation to boost our agricultural ego as a country but it must be organised in a way that will work for mother Ghana and not just the individual awardees.
The writer is Executive Director, BARAKA Policy Institute.
Writer’s email :[email protected]rg