Government Agricultural Policies Open to All- Mr. Zottorgloh

Government agricultural policies are designed to benefit all Ghanaians, regardless of political affiliation, according to the Eastern Regional Agricultural Officer in charge of Plant Protection and Regulatory Services, Theophilus Zottorgloh.

Speaking in an interview on AIT Television’s Business Tour programme, Mr. Zottorgloh urged the youth to take advantage of government agricultural initiatives and other support programmes to establish sustainable farming businesses.

Responding to questions from host Yaw Ansa-Asare on how young people could benefit from government policies in agriculture, Mr. Zottorgloh acknowledged that the implementation of some programmes had produced mixed results but stressed that the opportunities remained important for the youth.

He cited the distribution of free seedlings by some agricultural companies as one of the opportunities available to young people.

According to him, companies involved in oil palm production distribute seedlings to farmers at no cost, while cocoa seedlings are also provided free of charge under existing support initiatives.

Mr. Zottorgloh also pointed to the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, which he said provides subsidised seeds and fertiliser to make agricultural inputs more affordable.

He encouraged young people, particularly those without significant start-up capital, to explore such opportunities and use the available support as a starting point for building agricultural enterprises.

He cautioned the youth against viewing government agricultural programmes through a partisan lens, stressing that public policies are intended to serve the broader population.

“Government policy is for everybody and every youth. You are all entitled to the benefits,” he said, urging young people to take advantage of opportunities provided under any administration, irrespective of their political affiliations.

Mr. Zottorgloh, however, identified delays in the distribution of agricultural inputs as one of the challenges affecting the effectiveness of some government interventions.

He explained that providing seeds, fertiliser and other support after the appropriate farming season had begun or was nearing its end could undermine the intended impact of the programmes.

He therefore called for the timely distribution of agricultural inputs to ensure that farmers, particularly young people entering the sector, receive the support when it is most needed.

According to him, ensuring that agricultural interventions are delivered at the right time would improve their effectiveness and encourage more young people to consider farming as a viable business opportunity.ntroduce your workspace and tell visitors what they can do next.