The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru, has disclosed that, his ministry lacks reliable database for planning and operational purposes.
According to the sector minister, the last time the ministry carried out an agricultural census in the country was 37 years ago, and was no longer relevant to the sector’s operations.
The Minister revealed this to Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee during hearing in Parliament on measures taken by the ministry to implement the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA), 2010 – 2013.
“It is important as a country we go back and resource the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to conduct agric census to enhance productivity of agriculture,” he said.
Alhaji Muniru explained that, an agricultural census would enable the ministry to determine the extent of the loss of the nation’s forest cover, the quantum of arable lands and the current levels of soil fertility.
He said such census would also help the ministry to know the major crops cultivated nationwide and the potential of any new crop.
The Minister said the ministry was collaborating with the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) to provide solutions to problems brought forward by farmer-based organisations.