This year, the festival took on even greater significance as Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, stood before the people of Asogli, representing President John Dramani Mahama. Her message was one of gratitude, unity, and a call to renew the nation’s commitment to agricultural prosperity.
With warmth and dignity, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang brought greetings from President Mahama, commending Togbe Afede XIV, the chiefs, and all Asogli people for keeping alive a tradition that not only unites communities but also spotlights the country’s vast agricultural potential.
“It is an honour to represent His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama at this year’s Yam Festival,” she began. “This is an occasion for celebration and thanksgiving. It is also a sacred reminder of our duty to build a future worthy of our heritage.”
As she looked out over the assembled crowd, the Vice President reflected on the symbolism of the yam, central to the festival and emblematic of patience, renewal, and prosperity. These, she said, are values that define the Asogli people and Ghana’s broader agricultural identity. Yet, she acknowledged, today’s farmers face new hurdles: erratic rainfall, post-harvest losses, and market instability.
To meet these challenges, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang outlined the government’s comprehensive agricultural strategy, the Feed Ghana Programme. Led by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, this initiative puts food security and agricultural transformation at the core of national development.
Among the key measures, she announced significant budget allocations to agriculture in 2025, supporting projects such as the Vegetable Development Project and the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative for poultry and eggs. She revealed that 5,000 graduates in agriculture and veterinary science would soon be deployed across Ghana, including the Volta Region, to provide vital extension services. The government is also promoting vegetable farming and greenhouse technology—especially suited to the Volta’s fertile valleys, while boosting support for farmer cooperatives, mechanisation, irrigation, and storage infrastructure to cut post-harvest losses.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang expressed her conviction that the Volta Region could become Ghana’s agricultural backbone under the Feed Ghana initiative. With its underutilised irrigation systems and ideal conditions for rice and yam cultivation, the region holds untapped promise. She cited recent efforts by Eric Opoku’s Feed Ghana team, encouraging local farmers and District Assemblies to embrace improved seeds, extension services, and modern irrigation to raise yields and reduce food imports.
“The Yam Festival is more than a cultural event—it is a platform for showcasing agricultural potential, mobilising resources, honouring hardworking farmers, and inspiring our youth,” she emphasised.
Turning to the future, the Vice President called for renewed energy in making farming an attractive and profitable venture for Ghana’s youth. She highlighted the government’s investment in land banks, credit facilities, and agribusiness training to modernise agriculture, as well as President Mahama’s flagship Adwumawura Programme, recently launched at the University of Ghana, which targets youth employment and entrepreneurship.
As the festival reached its peak, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged all Ghanaians to see culture and progress as partners in nation-building. “The Yam Festival is not only about the past—it reminds us that culture and progress can work hand in hand. As we celebrate, let us pledge to support our farmers, strengthen our communities, and build a Ghana where every household has enough to eat.”
With heartfelt wishes for a bountiful harvest, she called for continued unity, peace, and prosperity throughout the land, leaving the people of Asogli inspired to carry forward the legacy of their cherished festival.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
