source

a. Explain the social and industrial roles of agriculture in your country, sighting one of the main grown crop.

Ghana relies heavily on the agricultural sector. In many ways, it assists people. Employment opportunities are provided to many people similarly the rural population. This implies that a good number of households are able to make money in order to purchase food, clothes and other necessities. Similarly, Agriculture guarantees sufficient food assurance to everyone.

In secondary production movement, agriculture serves as a source of supply for industries. For instance, cocoa is one of the leading cash crops in Ghana. Cocoa beans are used in the making of chocolates and other commodities. Domestic factories depend on beans agriculture to sustain them and this includes the performance of factories as well - - more jobs are available for those employed in these industries .

source

b. How has this main grown agriproduct helped in reducing poverty and as well promote rural development in your country?

Cocoa farming is one of the key agricultural activities in Ghana. It helps eliminate poverty and upgrade the standard of living in the communities. Some households cultivate and sell cocoa to make money. This money enables them purchase basic needs such as food, clothes, and writing materials.

Raising cocoa also promotes the construction of more performing booths such as roads, schools, and health centers, particularly in the rural regions. Farmers that sell cocoa have higher incomes, and therefore taxes imposed on them are also higher. And this cash is then utilized by the authorities to develop the transportation network. Everyone lives in better conditions which is an advantage.For example, children can go to better schools, and people can get better medical care.

source

c. What are the main challenges facing your country's top crops (e.g., cocoa, palm, maize, wheat, rice, etc.) in terms of economic impact?

Some issues that Ghanas key crops, which include cocoa, have include the following:
Climate Change: Dramatic weather patterns such as drought or a heavy rainfall damages crops, as a result, making it difficult for the farmers to produce sufficient food.

Deforestations: The extension of farming land may involve clearing forests which is destructive; this may result to effects such as soil erosion and depletion of biodiversity.

Lack of Modern Tools: Most of the farmers have resorted to traditional farming practices and equipment which is less effective and inefficient. More recent tools make it easy for the farmers to produce more food with less energy.

source

Market Access: The fact that they have crops does not guarantee that they will always be in a position to sell them and at reasonable prices. Poor transport system makes it difficult for the farmers to access markets. They do not how or what to sell.d. Government Initiatives Boosting Agricultural Productivity

d. What current or past government initiatives are boosting agricultural productivity in your country?"

The government in Ghana has initiated some programs to support the farmers:
Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ): Under this scheme, seeds and fertilizers are offered at subsidized rates to practice more crop production to generate employment. Farmers are also trained on improved technologies in agriculture.

source

Sustainable Agriculture Productivity Improvement Project (SAPIP): This helps the farmers increase their outputs by offering them appropriate equipment coupled with training. In addition, this project also assists the farmers in the marketing of their crops.

Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ): This program provides assistance to farmers raising livestock such as chicken, and cows in addition to the income farmers get from crops. This program assists farmers in maintaining the animals by providing training, and necessary tools.

e. What solutions can enhance agricultural productivity and growth in your country?

. Following is a list of recommendations which can assist farmers in increasing their yield and the quality of the yield:

Modern Farming Techniques: It involves the application of modern tools and approaches aimed at making farming less tedious. A case in point, tractors can be used when plowing the fields as opposed to doing it manually.

Climate–Resilient Practices: This involves showing farmers how to decrease the harm to their crops from unfavorable weather conditions. These might involve windbreaks, tree planting to protect crops from wind, or irrigation in arid spells.

Improved Market Access: This involves the development of roads or markets which facilitates the selling of the produce to the best price possible. This ensures that rather than farmers working tirelessly for low pay; there is an assurance of a better earnings.

source
Training and Education: Assisting the farmers in acquiring knowledge on new technologies and methods. This includes farmer training on novel technologies, use of new equipment, or growing other crops.

Financial Support: This involves offering farmers credits and insurance products which shield them from any losses resulting from poor yields of the year’s crops. This allows farmers to purchase advanced farming equipment and seeds to grow healthy crops.

I invite @kikenexum @sur-riti @jasminemary.