Accra: Herdsmen in Nima, a suburb of Accra, have announced their readiness to leverage government’s agricultural and agribusiness initiatives to grow and contribute more to domestic consumption.
According to Ghana News Agency, the herdsmen, who predominantly rear cattle, expressed concerns over being overlooked in government plans for the agriculture sector, particularly the livestock sector. Mr. Iddrisu Ahmed mentioned hearing of several government initiatives for agriculture, but noted that the livestock sector appeared to be ignored.
He pointed out that most agricultural initiatives focus on rural areas, leaving farmers in urban settlements like Nima overlooked. Mr. Ahmed emphasized the challenges facing livestock farmers in urban centers, such as lack of financial support, high costs of feed, and inadequate veterinary services.
Mr. Ahmed urged the government to consider farmers in urban centers and guide them in leveraging existing initiatives. The government’s main support for livestock farmers is integrated into national agricultural policies, including the Feed Ghana Flagship Programme (AETA), the Ghana CARES ‘Obaatanpa’ Programme, and the Young Poultry and Livestock Farmers Initiative.
Despite these initiatives, Mr. Ramadan Sheriff, another herder, stated that livestock farmers in the Nima community were neither consulted nor engaged in any related activities. He noted that urban livestock farmers were often unaware of these initiatives, exacerbating their challenges.
Mr. Sheriff appealed to the government to provide necessary support by engaging and educating livestock farmers about the initiatives.