A lecturer at the horticulture department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Eli Afetsi Gaveh is optimistic that Ghana can sustain and provide food for her citizens should there be a hold on the importation of food into the country.
He has urged Ghanaians to quit the notion of a possible shortage of food in the country due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Ghana.
According to him, the National Food Buffer stock which has been established by the government is mandated to buy food during a time of excess and store them so that in case of any crisis in Ghana in relation to food, the country can provide for its citizens.
Dr. Eli Gaveh in an interview with Focus News stated that the country can survive for the next three months because the National Food Buffer stock should be able to provide food for the country.
He discouraged the concept of ‘panic buying’ where citizens have the view of storing food and resources in excess during the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“The moment we get into the mode of panic buying there will be a distortion in supply chains of food and other basic essentials that we need for our survival. People will begin to hoard food, energy, and toiletries that we could all share among the population in the next two to three months”.
He noted that it is not advisable for the government to import food during this period but should consider reorganizing the agricultural system to be able to produce food for the country during and after the epidemic and also have self-sufficiency in the agriculture sector to reduce the high rate of importation into the country.
The fear of Ghanaians with respect to the shortage of food in the country comes as a result of the high rate of importation of food items from foreign countries into Ghana with these countries also have recorded cases of the Covid-19.
–
Story by: Mercy Agyarkwa/focusnewsroom.com
-
-
-
-
