Julius Debrah launches School Farm Initiative

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has officially launched the School Farm Initiative, a programme aimed at securing Ghana’s food future through agriculture in schools.

On Friday, August 29, Mr. Debrah unveiled the initiative at St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School in Accra, describing it as a bold and practical step towards self-reliance, youth empowerment, and food security.

According to him, the initiative, which is being championed under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, is part of a broader national vision to transform agriculture from subsistence into a competitive, innovative, and dignified enterprise.

“The School Farm Initiative is one of the practical ways to achieve this vision. By embedding agriculture into the schools, we are not just planting crops; we are planting the seeds of self-reliance, creativity, and entrepreneurship in our young people. We are shaping mindsets, and we are building futures,” Mr. Debrah stated.

He stressed that the success of the initiative cannot rest on the government alone but requires collective responsibility and commitment from stakeholders. The Ghana Education Service, he explained, must integrate agriculture into teaching and learning as a tool for innovation, while school heads must ensure farms are vibrant and sustainable.

Government, through the Presidential Initiative on Agriculture and Agribusiness, will provide enabling policies, logistical support, and coordination. Institutions like GETFund will invest in infrastructure, while the National Service Authority will supply trained graduates to support farming activities in schools.

Mr. Debrah further appealed to teachers and parents to embrace the project wholeheartedly, describing their role as central to shaping the mindset of the next generation. “I call on NAGRAT, GNAT, CCT-GH, and all teacher unions: do not see this as an additional burden, but as an opportunity to mentor students, to pass on values and practical skills that extend far beyond the classroom,” he said.

He added that parents must see school farms as an investment that would improve nutrition, reduce household food costs, and equip children with lifelong skills.

To the students, he encouraged them to embrace agriculture as an innovation and a career opportunity rather than a last resort. He assured them that the government is fully committed to ensuring school farms are not short-lived projects but enduring legacies that blend education, agriculture, and youth empowerment.