A review of Ghana’s planting for food and jobs program: implementation, impacts, benefits, and costs

[Audio] Through the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, Ghana has seen significant boosts in maize and rice production, reaching an excess of 40%. This has had a crucial role in increasing the availability of food and calories throughout the country. However, as with all large-scale projects, there is a great deal still to be done to raise the efficacy and efficacy of the program to ensure the highest return on investment. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the implementation, effects, advantages and costs of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, and to establish an elementary impact appraisal model that can be adopted by the government to review and enhance the program..

[Audio] The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in Ghana has made significant contributions to food and calorie availability in the country, resulting in increases in maize and rice production of more than 40%. While this progress is noteworthy, efforts to improve efficiency and returns on investment should be of high priority. Studies have revealed that subsidized inputs result in improved crop yields, albeit only in the year the subsidy is given. Furthermore, other factors such as soil fertility, input prices, output prices, and market uncertainty all limit the benefits of these subsidy programs. Therefore, a more comprehensive approach is needed to further reduce food insecurity, which should incorporate production support for farmers and better market opportunities..

[Audio] Ghana's Planting for Food and Jobs initiative has had a considerable effect on the agricultural production of the Sub-Saharan region, most notably in maize and rice production levels. The program, launched in 2017, is an extension of the Fertiliser Subsidy Program and contains additional design principles that aim to raise the productivity of agricultural investments. Input subsidies have been used to tackle the problems that farmers are confronted with, such as high costs, resource shortages, and dangers connected with investing in modern inputs. These subsidies have assisted in raising the rate of fertilizer application, from an average of 8kg per hectare at the time of the Abuja Declaration in 2006, to 20kg per hectare in 2020. Additionally, lower performing recycled maize seeds have been replaced in many scenarios by higher yielding hybrids. All in all, Ghana's Planting for Food and Jobs initiative has had a noteworthy effect on food availability in the country, with potential for further refinement to increase the return on investment..

[Audio] The Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program has seen immense success in Ghana with production levels of maize and rice crops increasing by more than 40 percent. The program has had a large scale, with 1.6 million farmers targeted by 2020 and a budget of 3.3 billion Ghana cedi (GH¢) over four years. It has already exceeded its initial goals with 863,500 jobs being created in its first year. Furthermore, it seeks to strengthen the links across and along value chains and target a variety of crops instead of just a few staples. Now with the program extended beyond the original four-year implementation, we anticipate greater returns on this investment..

[Audio] The PFJ initiative in Ghana has had a positive effect on maize and rice production. Its five core pillars (seed, fertilizer, extension, marketing and e-agriculture) have made diverse seed varieties more available, increased use of fertilizer, and improved connections to input and output markets. Research shows that educated farmers, members of farmer organizations, and those with bigger farms are more likely to participate in PFJ although there are still issues with targeting. There have been successes with PFJ, but more needs to be done in order to increase return on investment..

[Audio] The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in Ghana has been very successful, with an impressive increase of more than 40% in maize and rice production. This has resulted in improved food and calorie availability for the country. However, there is still room for improvement. One of the challenges is the displacement of commercial fertilizer sales due to the subsidized fertilizer supplies. A research study recently discovered the alarming rate of 16.4% decrease in commercial supplies for every 100 kg increase in subsidized supplies. This illustrates the need to find ways to ensure a higher return on investment on the subsidies program..

[Audio] Ghana has benefited greatly from the initiative, with increases in maize and rice production of over 40%, contributing to improved food and calorie availability. However, there are still several possibilities for improving efficiency and increasing returns on investment. A 2019 report from IFDC has combined fertilizer import data and fertilizer recommendations to provide a better understanding of how fertilizer is used in different crops. The report found that the majority of fertilizer is applied to cereals, with 34% dedicated to maize and 8% to rice, and smaller amounts to vegetables and cocoa. Current PFJ policies do not prescribe, control, or monitor fertilizer usage across crops, so it is reasonable to assume that these fertilizers are distributed according to the proportions outlined in the report. Gathering more detailed data on actual fertilizer usage on PFJ beneficiary farms is essential in order to gain a better understanding. Fertilizer use efficiency and value-cost ratio are two metrics that can help calculate the value of additional fertilizer and decide whether it is beneficial to purchase more. Usually, smallholders require a value-cost ratio of two or more to justify additional fertilizer purchases. This data is critical to measuring the potential impacts of fertilizer subsidies on crop output..

[Audio] The Ghana Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative has had a remarkable impact on agricultural productivity in the country. Not only has it contributed to a forty-plus percent increase in maize and rice production levels, it has also substantially boosted food and calorie availability. Furthermore, through its focus on land expansion, PFJ has enabled more farmers to participate in agricultural production. Despite this progress, opportunities remain to further enhance the initiative’s efficacy by improving yields. Output growth for PFJ vegetable crops has been notably lower than for field crops, with tomatoes, onions, and chilies growing at 3.8, 2.8 and 3.2 percent per year respectively. Output growth for groundnut, cassava, cowpea, yam, and plantain has been more successful, growing at 9.4, 7.5, 6.2, 5.6 and 6.9 percent per year respectively. In conclusion, Ghana's Planting for Food and Jobs initiative has made tremendous strides in increasing crop outputs across the country. While there's still much room for improvement, the PFJ has already created a substantial impact on the nation's agricultural productivity and food security..

[Audio] The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in Ghana has been a great success, resulting in a 40% increase in maize and rice production. This has had a tangible benefit in terms of food and calorie availability. However, more can be done to further increase the return on investment. An analysis of the current model shows that the attribution rate for rice in 2020 was improbably high, indicating the need for improvement. Additionally, the model could be expanded by incorporating factors such as fertilizer and seed input to endogenize yields. Finally, a more comprehensive model is needed to calculate the impact of the subsidy program, as it should factor in potential output growth in the absence of intervention, as well as the displacement of commercial seed and fertilizer. To maximize the effectiveness of this initiative, an effective assessment model must be implemented..

[Audio] The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in Ghana has had a remarkable impact in terms of food and calorie availability. Maize and rice production levels have seen an increase of more than 40%, greatly benefiting the country. Despite this, there is still room to improve the return on investment by making some changes in input uses. fertilizer use efficiency can be altered with lower and upper bounds of 8 and 15 kg of grain per kilogram of nitrogen, respectively. Moreover, nitrogen content of fertilizer used on cereal crops has also been increased, from 21.5 to 25.1% percent. To make the most out of this initiative, farmers are given the opportunity to receive both subsidized maize or rice seed and fertilizer, which can result in a yield advantage of up to 200 kg per hectare. This is a great opportunity to ensure food security in Ghana and ultimately, its overall development..

[Audio] PFJ initiative in Ghana has had a remarkable impact on food production, leading to an increase of more than 40% in maize and rice production levels, thus contributing to food and calorie availability in the country. Although there has been marked success, there is potential for further improvement in terms of efficiency, which could lead to greater return on investment. Food shortages among non-beneficiaries are higher than among beneficiaries, and there has been a decrease in market prices due to increased food supply. Productivity has also increased significantly, with value-cost ratio being positive. Ultimately, PFJ initiative is an incredible example of how agriculture and rural sector investments can have long-term benefits..

[Audio] Ghana's Planting for Food and Jobs initiative has had positive results, with maize and rice production levels increasing by more than 40% in recent years, providing much needed food and calorie availability. However, further efficiency gains and returns on investment are possible. Arndt et al. (2016) suggest that the economy-wide benefit-cost ratio can be up to 60% higher than the equivalent production-based value-cost ratio. Input subsidies have been used to assist farmers in accessing inputs, but also to target development, build up input supply systems and offer production and marketing support. Input subsidies remain an integral component of agricultural development strategies, although challenges remain in implementation..

[Audio] The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in Ghana has had a remarkable positive effect on maize and rice production levels, contributing to greater food and calorie availability. Nevertheless, there are improvements that could be made to ensure an increase in the return on investment. Specifically, the program intends to assist poorer and more marginalised farmers but wealthier and better educated individuals are more likely to obtain benefits from it. Furthermore, commercial fertilizer and seed sales are being affected, it is paramount to adjust the program design to ensure that it is accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic background..

[Audio] Ghana's Planting for Food and Jobs Initiative has seen remarkable success, with maize and rice production levels increasing by more than 40%. This has resulted in increased food and calorie availability in the country. Of course, there remain prospects for additional improvements that could potentially bring even greater returns. Ghana's Planting for Food and Jobs Initiative is a commendable example of how a nation can exploit its resources to attain remarkable development in food production and access..

[Audio] In Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture launched the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in 2020, with major positive outcomes. Maize and rice production rose by over 40%, leading to improved food security and greater calorie availability. While this is a good start, more effort is necessary to make the initiative more effective and maximize its return on investment..