The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is taking a major step toward rebuilding Ghana’s agricultural workforce through a new initiative that integrates young professionals into long-term service roles.

Under a four-year National Service pathway announced by sector minister Eric Opoku, 10,000 young people will be trained and deployed to boost frontline agricultural support nationwide.

Rather than treating national service as a one-year transitional programme, the new model positions it as a pipeline for permanent agricultural extension officers, veterinary staff, and technical field workers.

Each cohort of participants is expected to feed into MoFA’s staffing needs, addressing critical human resource gaps that have constrained service delivery for years.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, November 24, 2025, Mr. Opoku said the reform is part of a broader effort to professionalise agricultural extension and strengthen support systems for farmers.

He highlighted that the initiative will absorb the large backlog of graduates from agriculture and veterinary colleges who have remained unposted since 2015.

According to the minister, the programme is designed to position MoFA for the future—one in which agriculture is driven by data, climate-smart practices, and skilled technical officers.

“By investing in the frontline of service delivery, we are laying the groundwork for a modern and resilient agricultural sector,” he noted.

The multi-year scheme is expected to gradually build a stable, well-trained workforce capable of responding to farmers’ needs and supporting the government's food security agenda.

Sompaonline.com/Derrick Djan