The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has appealed to school authorities across the country to end the use of weeding as a form of punishment, warning that such practices discourage students from developing an interest in farming.
Instead, he has called for agriculture to be repositioned in schools as a tool for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the launch of the School Farm Initiative in Accra on Friday, August 29, Mr. Debrah emphasized that government is determined to make agriculture attractive to the youth by embedding it into the educational system.
According to him, when students associate weeding solely with punishment, they lose the desire to embrace agriculture as a dignified and profitable enterprise.
“We must stop treating farming as a punishment. It makes students lose interest in agriculture. Through the School Farm Initiative, we are not just planting crops; we are planting the seeds of self-reliance, creativity, and entrepreneurship in our young people,” he said.
The School Farm Initiative, he explained, is part of President John Dramani Mahama’s vision to transform agriculture into a modern, innovative, and competitive sector.
The initiative seeks to create school-based farms across the country where students can gain hands-on training in crop production, agribusiness, and modern farming techniques.
Collective Responsibility
Mr. Debrah underscored that the success of the initiative cannot rest on government alone.
He outlined the roles of various stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), teacher unions, parents, and the National Service Authority (NSA).
“Government, through the Presidential Initiative on Agriculture and Agribusiness, will provide enabling policies, logistical support, and national coordination. The GES must weave agriculture into teaching and learning, not as punishment, but as a practical tool for knowledge and innovation. School heads must provide leadership to ensure farms are vibrant and sustainable. GETFund will support with infrastructure, while the NSA, with its trained graduates, will provide technical expertise on the ground,” he stated.
He also appealed to teacher unions — NAGRAT, GNAT, and CCT-GH — to embrace the program not as an extra burden but as an opportunity to mentor students.
According to him, teachers have the unique ability to shape the mindset of students and inspire them to view farming as a career worth pursuing.
Benefits Beyond the Classroom
Mr. Debrah highlighted the broader benefits of the School Farm Initiative, particularly for parents and communities.
He explained that school farms will enhance student nutrition, reduce household food costs, and prepare children with lifelong skills in agriculture and entrepreneurship.
“Parents must embrace school farms as an investment in their children’s future. With strong PTAs, this initiative can become truly transformative,” he noted.
To students, he described the initiative as an opportunity to gain practical knowledge, explore agribusiness, and contribute to Ghana’s long-term food security.
“This is your opportunity to see farming not as punishment, but as innovation — an opportunity to prepare yourselves for careers and to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development. On behalf of the President, I assure you this is not a side project. It is a legacy project that binds education, agriculture, and youth empowerment together,” he stressed.
Looking Ahead
The Chief of Staff concluded by reiterating that the School Farm Initiative is designed to be a sustainable, nationwide project that will outlive the current administration.
With the combined support of government institutions, schools, teachers, parents, and students, he expressed optimism that the program would inspire a new generation of agriculturists and agripreneurs.
“This is not just about producing food in schools. It is about producing the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders in agriculture,” he added.
The launch of the School Farm Initiative comes at a time when concerns have been raised about the declining interest of young people in farming, despite agriculture’s role as the backbone of Ghana’s economy.
With this new intervention, government hopes to redefine the perception of agriculture in schools and secure the nation’s food future.
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