In a strategic move to bolster national food security, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has officially integrated faith-based organizations into its flagship “Feed Ghana Programme.”
The Minister of Agriculture, Eric Opoku, revealed that several churches have already registered for the initiative, marking a significant shift toward utilizing religious infrastructure to achieve food self-sufficiency by 2028.
Speaking on GH One TV’s morning show, GH Today, Minister Opoku explained that the decision to partner with religious bodies was driven by their vast reach and the deep-seated influence of their leadership.
”As part of our strategy, we realized that in Ghana we have more churches than schools,” the Minister noted. “If we have these institutions well established, where [members] hold their leadership in reverence… why can’t we bring them on board as we strive to attain food security?”
The Minister emphasized the concept of “church farms,” arguing that the spiritual well-being of a congregation cannot be separated from its physical survival. “If the congregation are starving, can you minister to them the Word of God?” he added.
According to Mr. Opoku, the Ministry has begun signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with various denominations.
He cited a recent success story where one church harvested 30,000 bags of maize. Rather than immediate sale, the church opted to store the produce as a strategic reserve.
“They are building a food buffer against emergencies,” Opoku stated, highlighting how such private reserves can “cushion” the populace during times of scarcity.
He further called on the media to also work towards the realisation of this dream.
”The media… must work with us in this space…it is your duty to propagate the message so everybody participates,” he said.
The Feed Ghana Programme aims to stabilize the agricultural value chain across the country, ensuring that Ghana can move away from food imports and toward a sustainable, self-reliant future.
Source: Ghana | Starrfm.com.gh | Kwaku Nti
