APPLICATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY IN GHANA

Abstract

The contribution of the Horticultural farming for Ghana economy is that it produces horticultural products which generate income for poor farmers and foreign reserves for the country by means of exporting products. With appropriate policies and technologies like biotechnology, horticulture increases the incomes of smallholder farmers, enhancing rural development. Conventional plant breeding techniques have made considerable progress in the development of improved varieties of horticultural products, there is still room for major improvement which can be achieved using the biotechnology. There is the need to integrate biotechnology to speed up crop improvement programs. Biotechnological tools have revolutionized the entire crop improvement programs by providing new strains of plants, supply of planting material, more efficient and selective pesticides and improved fertilizers. This study assesses the relationship between horticultural farming, biotechnology and food security. The impact of biotechnology on the welfare of smallholder farmers is also assessed. The paper concludes that the role of biotechnology in food security in Ghana cannot be overemphasized but still has a long way to go. Agricultural production and productivity problems in developing countries like Ghana go beyond technological solutions alone; already existing challenges of smallholder farmers should be addressed first. Biotechnology could however contribute to sustainable development by increasing agricultural productivity using new breeding techniques. It can also increase the revenues in agricultural production.