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Commercial Farmer Appeals to President Mahama for Subsidized Agric Inputs
A leading commercial farmer in Ghana’s northern belt, Alhaji Mashud Mohammed, who also serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cudjoe Abimash Farms, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to urgently reduce and subsidize agricultural inputs to support the country’s agribusiness sector.
Alhaji Mashud made this appeal during a tour of his farmlands in the Northern Region, where he highlighted the numerous challenges farmers face, particularly the high cost of agricultural inputs and production.
According to him, the agricultural sector remains the backbone of Ghana’s economy, and with the right policies, the country can not only achieve food security but also export surplus produce to boost national revenue.
He emphasized that inadequate rainfall and limited access to water have been major setbacks for farmers. To mitigate this, he has personally dredged 16 rivers for irrigation purposes and procured irrigation spraying guns to support his farming activities.
Alhaji Mashud urged the government to take agriculture seriously by investing in infrastructure, providing affordable inputs, and ensuring policies that support farmers at all levels. He believes that with the right interventions, Ghana can become self-sufficient in food production.
Farmers across the country continue to face difficulties in accessing fertilizers, pesticides, and other essential inputs due to rising costs. Many have expressed the need for government intervention to make farming more profitable and sustainable.
Alhaji Mashud’s call aligns with the concerns of several agricultural stakeholders, who have consistently urged the government to prioritize the sector as a key driver of economic growth.
The government must restrained security agencies from purchasing India rice and rather focus on purchasing locally produce rice to make a head way in agriculture front.
In 2022, Cudjoe Abimash Farms supply burfer stock with over 50,000 food stuff.
According to him, the Government restrictions on soya beans that unfair and call for policy guidelines to enable farmers do more and make some earnings for themselves.
The farmer also recounted how the company managed to be adjudged the National Best Farmer in 2021 and believes it was based on hardworking and dedications that led to the recognition of the government to reward the Cudjoe Abimash Farms company with no doubt in mind.
Alhaji Mashud Mohammed hinted that currently the company has employed 51 staff’s and 1000 casual workers.
The company is the first Farms doing conservation agriculture in Ghana because initially when expect were brought from Argentina to help us doing it they doubted it so now that they are doing it that makes them the best ever.
Again when it comes to integration of animals farming and processing is what they called vertical integration to feed animals and poultry.
The risk in conservation farming is financial constraints and another challenge is infrastructure deficits due to lack of funds.
He observed that bad roads, lack of dams and other logistics the led to slow pace in farming in Ghana but if all things are in place like by now Ghana will be the leading giant in agricultural across the west Africa.
The company has been able to purchase mobile sprinklers for irrigation purposes to enable them to farm without breaking or lacking of water.
Alhaji Mashud Mohammed was amazed about the company CSR to support 40,000 women in the northern belt with both logistics and agric inputs to enable them start up with their reintegration into farming.