A Deputy Executive Secretary for Centre for Business College and Organisational Development in charge of southern Ghana, Mr. Wilberforce Lartey, has indicated that the recent announcement by the National Bio-Safety Authority to introduce Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops would be a threat to the sovereignty of local seed and food producers.

He raised the alarm that government will be importing these crop varieties at cheaper prices, to the disadvantage of the local seeds. Mr. Lartey stressed the need to bring back community seed banking in the area.

“We are forging collaboration between ministry of food and agriculture in the various districts and civil society organisations to make sure the target of this program is achieved. Due to this, we are going to organise regional food and seed fair to promote our local farmers,’’ Mr. Lartey emphasised.

This came up when the Centre for Business College and Organisation Development organised a sensitisation workshop for farmers who are into ecological agriculture in the Upper East Region. A farmer, Mr. Joseph Abarike Azumah, indicated that agricultural ecology’s concept is the best policy to provide Ghanaians with jobs, especially the unemployed youth. He said climate change is biting hard on Ghana and Africa, hence the need to adopt innovative farming methods.

“Farming for Schools Policy should be introduce from Junior High School to the University level to make sure students practice agricultural ecology concept. This will also reduce the burden of buying food to feed them. Our first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, would be sad should he come back to ascertain that Ghana, after 67 years of independence is still battling with food  insecurity.” Mr. Abarike stressed.

Mr. Julius Awarija of Organization for Indigenous Initiatives and Sustainability on his part indicated that technicalities in identifying agricultural ecology products with those of chemical farming products are a big challenge and therefore called on consumers to always patronise Agricultural Ecology products because they are healthier products.