The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the nation’s leaders to pay critical attention to agriculture, stating that it is the key to creating wealth for Ghana. He adds that the sector can also generate more job opportunities and boost the economy.
Speaking during a courtesy call by Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, the Asantehene told Ghanaians on Friday, June 13, 2025, that they would be deceiving themselves to think their economic gains would come from oil or any sector other than agriculture.
“Ghana will thrive through agriculture. We need to focus on agriculture without mistaking oil or any other thing as the source of our wealth. It’s through agriculture that we’ll get food and raw materials to feed our industries. That’s what has been entrusted to you, so if you do it well, the nation will appreciate,” he told the Minister.
Otumfuo expressed concern over the lack of interest in agriculture among the youth, who prefer white-collar jobs, leaving the industry largely to older men and women.
He warned that Ghana’s cocoa production, which is already on the decline, will fall further if the trend continues, noting that the energetic youth have largely abandoned the sector.
The Overlord of the Asante Kingdom cited the lack of electricity, water, and other infrastructure in rural areas as a major reason for the youth’s waning interest in agriculture. He urged authorities to find solutions to attract young people to the sector.
“The youth have lost interest in agriculture. They don’t like going to the farm. Agriculture has now been left at the mercy of old men and women, and that is the cause of the decline in our cocoa production.
“So, if we don’t pay critical attention, our calls will be in vain, and agriculture will die out because today’s youth prefer areas with access to electricity and water. Meanwhile, farming is done in the bush, so we should devise a means to get the youth involved in the sector,” he counseled.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, indicated that the Ministry has devised ways to engage the youth in agriculture. This year’s Farmer’s Day awards, he noted, will recognise and honour the best institutions – from primary school to tertiary level, as well as other security agencies – involved in agriculture.
“This year’s Farmer’s Day celebration will recognise and award the best performing primary school in agriculture, secondary school, training college and nursing school, university as well as the military who have started their farming and promised to produce 100 acres of maize. The Prison Service has also started, as well as the National Service Association,” he stated.
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