Farmers who do not have National Identification Cards will not benefit from the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme. This is because the registration process for the programme requires the use of the card, and those without it will be rejected.
This came up at a sensitization session on the second phase of the programme at Wa in the Upper West Region. Information from the Upper West Regional Directorate of the Department of Agriculture shows that more than eight hundred and thirty thousand farmers benefited from phase one of the Planting for Food and Jobs in the region. As a result of the programme, maize production increased by one hundred and thirty-five percent as at the end of 2022.
With the second phase about to take off, key stakeholders are being sensitized to the changes which were introduced to address problems identified with the first phase.
To qualify to register under the phase two of the PFJ, having a National Identification Card is a must.
Increased sensitization was identified as one of the activities that must continue during the implementation to deepen the understanding of farmers.
The participants were taken through access to credit, supply of inputs, farm services, and access to market. Representatives of aggregators, input dealers, farmer-based organizations, Seed Producers Association of Ghana, and women groups were among the participants.