The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has launched renewed efforts to transform the Ketu North District into a hub for all-season farming as part of a broader national strategy to strengthen food security, stabilize food prices, and create sustainable rural livelihoods.
During a working tour of Weta in the Volta Region, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture and Ayawaso West Wuogon MP, Mr. John Dumelo, urged farmers to embrace dry season farming as a tool for economic empowerment and local development.
Mr. Dumelo emphasized the need to shift from seasonal farming patterns to year-round cultivation of high-value crops such as tomatoes, onions, peppers, okro, and garden eggs. “Prices of vegetables typically rise during the dry season. If we can maintain production during this period, farmers here stand to earn more while ensuring food is readily available,” he said.
He added that the Ministry was ready to support farmers with irrigation equipment such as small water pumps and practical technical support to encourage off-season cultivation.
The Deputy Minister’s visit coincided with the distribution of fertilizer inputs to local farmers under the government’s flagship Feed Ghana Project, which aims to increase domestic food production and reduce import dependency.
“Ketu North is leading the Volta Region in receiving fertilizer under this project,” Mr. Dumelo said. “Let us feed ourselves, feed Ghana, and export the surplus.”
Plans Underway for Agricultural Infrastructure and Investment
Mr. Dumelo revealed plans to establish a Farm Service Centre in Ketu North that would provide mechanized services including tractors, harvesters, seed banks, and other critical inputs to improve efficiency and reduce the drudgery of farming.
“Access to tools and services is what will take farming from subsistence to enterprise,” he noted.
Backing the Deputy Minister’s remarks, Mr. Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, highlighted additional plans to improve water infrastructure in the area. He disclosed that the much-anticipated World Bank-funded dam rehabilitation project is being fast-tracked following renewed technical assessments.
“We are working to shorten the original timeline for dam rehabilitation,” he said. “Our efforts are already bearing fruit—an excavator brought in earlier is currently helping clear fields, and more equipment is expected as work begins.”
Mr. Agbana also announced that Brazilian agribusiness investors are preparing to cultivate over 3,000 hectares of farmland in the district, with meetings scheduled soon to finalize land arrangements with local chiefs and landowners.
He assured the farming community that the dam rehabilitation project would be carefully executed to avoid disruption to existing farms and called for community cooperation with engineers and stakeholders.
Community Support and Growing Momentum
Farmers in Ketu North welcomed the government’s attention and pledged to support the dry season farming initiative. They also expressed optimism about the region’s potential to become Ghana’s agricultural powerhouse.
Many praised the collaboration between the Deputy Minister and the local MP, calling it a model for results-oriented leadership and development-driven politics.
Mr. Dumelo wrapped up his visit by commending MP Eric Agbana, calling him “a dynamic, committed servant of the people,” and urged constituents to continue backing his developmental efforts.
With renewed focus on irrigation infrastructure, private sector investment, and government-led input support, the agricultural transformation of Ketu North may well serve as a blueprint for other regions looking to harness year-round farming to tackle food insecurity and drive local economies.
