The former Chief Executive Officer of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), Alhaji Seidu Gilbert Iddi has urged agricultural students of Nyankpala University for Development Studies (UDS) to develop a mind-set for their profession as agriculturalists to ensure food security in the country.
According to Mr, Iddi, agriculture is the tool for addressing poverty, eliminating food insecurity, among others and can be advanced with the support of budding agriculturalists across the country.
He disclosed this when he was sharing his experience as an agriculturalist with students from the faculty of agriculture at the Nyankpala branch of UDS, on the need to “reduce food wastage in agriculture production” during the 37th National Congress of the IAAS which was held in Nyankpala at the weekend.
The IAAS National Congress is organised annually to deliberate on issues pertaining to agriculture and to eschew challenges in the agricultural field. But this year’s congress aimed at developing Ghana through agriculture and sustaining the world through agriculture.
The Congress was on the theme: “Students in agriculture, a tool for national development.” The former CEO of SADA, told students that in order to improve agricultural production as Ghanaians, there must be employment opportunities for young agriculturalists to occupy various positions in the sector.
He added that destroying the environment and other natural resources has the tendency of destroying food crops and in the process exposing the country to serious economic and environmental impact. Continuing, Mr. Iddi said thirty percent of wholesome foods produce go to waste, but he stressed that this problem can be resolved with the idea of food donation.
A senior lecturer at the faculty of agricultural science at the school, Dr. Terry Ansah in an interview, highlighted the challenges confronting the students to Zaa news. Dr. Ansah mentioned unfavourable economic conditions, dilapidated farms for practical work, among others. He therefore entreated the ministry of agriculture and other agricultural sector to put resources into the agricultural faculties at universities across the nation for students to receive proper practical training.
By; Timtooni Ibrahim/zaaradio.com
