The fact that Agriculture ought to be the backbone of Ghana’s economy cannot be over-emphasized. The country is replete with vast arable lands and vegetation that can be used to boost our food security, expand our agricultural exports for good foreign exchange and create job opportunities for the youth. Indeed, economic analysts have always identified agriculture as the most realistic path for the country’s rapid economic growth and prosperity.

One innovation the government is using to encourage agricultural productivity since 1985 is the Annual National Farmers’ Awards. The annual national event which recurs on the first Friday of every December with the status of a statutory public holiday, gives awards to farmers and fishermen from the district to national level with the goal of motivating them for higher productivity.

However, in order to make the awards more impactful, there is the urgent need to review how the farmers’ day awards are given. In my candid but humble opinion, there are four main issues that must be looked at in relation to the annual farmers’ day awards.

First, the yardstick with which the best farmers at the district, regional and national levels are determined does not encourage the much needed specialization intended for higher productivity. A critical evaluation of the yardsticks used to determine awardees from the district to national levels generally indicates that any farmer who is able to do a bit of almost all facets of agriculture or farming including crop farming with variety of crops, animal husbandry with variety of animals, and fish farming among others can win an award. If the purpose of the annual awards is to motivate for higher production in the agricultural sector, then these awards should be targeted at farmers and fishermen who have specialized in specific areas of agriculture with the goal of expanding for higher production. In the world over, the issue of specialization in any life endeavour is recognised as a positive step for quality assurance and a catalyst for higher productivity.

Second, the organisers of the annual farmers’ awards seem to put business tycoons in farming and peasant farmers together in determining the best farmers and fishermen.  Joining together business tycoons in farming who are already successful in their farming businesses and peasant farmers who are struggling to be noticed for awards is highly inequitable and unfair. Therefore, in order to make the awards more meaningful and impactful, large scale commercial farming awards should be distinguished from peasant farming awards.  Whereas successful commercial farmers need just a pat on the back for their contributions to the sector, our peasant farmers need more than a pat. They need special motivation in terms of support in order to expand their agricultural activities to the benefit of both the farmers themselves and Ghana as a whole. Putting peasant farmers into the same awards category with successful business farmers is like putting the elephant and the goat on a field for a tug- of-war. Who is likely to win? Your guess is as good as mine.

Third, there must be a clear distinction between awards for recognition and awards for support in our bid to encourage high productivity as we celebrate our farmers and fishermen.  Our local farmers and fishermen who have shown ingenuity and practical commitment to contribute to agricultural productivity especially to the local economy must be awarded with donations of the best of farming equipment including vehicles to support them to accelerate their farming activities with the view to transforming them from peasant farmers to large scale commercial farmers. On the other hand, large scale but successful commercial farmers who have tangibly contributed to national development through their farming businesses should be appreciated with award of certificates perhaps signed by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana. They may also be granted other incentives such as tax credits from government in order to sustain business.

And fourth, the award should not be limited only to individuals in the agricultural sector but also government agencies and private corporate bodies who have helped in diverse ways to promote modernisation in farming in particular and agriculture in general for higher national productivity. In this regard, there must be an award category for agencies and companies which deal in agriculture in order to appreciate their invaluable contribution to the development of agro-businesses in the country. Such corporate bodies must also be part of the celebrated on this auspicious occasion.

It is imperative therefore, that periodic evaluation of the awards is made in order to assess the impact of the awards being given on farmers’ day. The farmers’ day and its associated awards is a wonderful innovation to boost our agricultural ego as a country, but it must be organised in way that will work for mother Ghana and not just the individual awardees.

By Haruna Zagoon-Sayeed

*The writer is the Executive Director of the Baraka Policy Institute (BPI), a Think Tank on Social Justice and Development with special focus on education and health.

Email: h.zagoon-sayeed@barakapolicy.org/info@barakapolicy.org