Question

Discuss some policy shifts that are needed to reduce ghana's dependence on food imports as a measure to improve capacity to respond to a future crisis like Covid-19

Answer 1

Answer: Policy shift that are needed to reduce Ghana's dependence on food import are as follows :

• Protecting Local Food and Agriculture Industries by introducing various government policies : Government should protect local food and agriculture industries until they become competitive enough to survive with international companies. Few of the measure that government can take in this regard are mentioned below:
  • Increasing import duty on food and agricultural needs which will give fair chances for local sellers.
  • Imposing import quota as well when food productivity is very good in the country.
• Technology advancement in the field of food processing : Government should help in technology advancement in the field of food processing as well, like cold storage and other ways by which food surplus can be stored for multiple months and can be used in future when supply is less.
• Technology involvement in the field of agriculture : Government should motivate farmers to learn new techniques of farming using various technologies and crop rotation which can increase the productivity of the soil by multi fold.
• Special incentives to farmers to produce grains : Government should give special incentives to farmer like providing seeds at very cheap rates, providing fertilizer for free, electricity and eater at minimal rate to increase the productivity of the farmer and motivate other people to see their future in this area which could make Ghana self-reliant in terms of foods.
• Inviting foreign companies to invest in local food industry as a means of technology transfer : Government should invite foreign companies as well to open joint venture with local food prcessing companies that would lead to technology transfer and development of local industries as well.