Mr Istvan Jakab, the Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, has assured of Hungary’s commitment to support Ghana in the agriculture sector to boost production.
He, therefore, called for collaboration between the two countries in that area towards ensuring food security. The Deputy Speaker said this when he delivered a lecture, in Accra, as part of activities to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between Ghana and Hungary. The lecture was on the topic: “Global Trends in Agriculture with Focus on Ghana and Hungary.”
It was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana and the Embassy of Hungary in Accra in collaboration with the Centre for European Studies, University of Ghana. Mr Jakab, who was speaking through an interpreter, said Hungary had made a lot of investments in the agriculture sector, which had yielded positive results.
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He said the country, with a population of 10 million, had the capacity to feed 20 million people using advanced technology. Mr Jakab noted that with the world’s total population predicted to hit 10 billion by the 25th century, improved farming methods were required to meet the nutrition needs of the people in future amidst climate change threats.
Government of Ghana in the last couple of years has initiated various policies and programmes in the agriculture sector, including the Planting for Food and Jobs, Rearing for Food and Jobs, one district one dam and Planting for Export, to increase production and ensure food security. Mr Jakab said investing more in technology and knowledge sharing among countries was the best bet to address global food insecurity and hunger.
He assured of Hungarians assistance to help Ghana improve its agriculture sector through the exchange of technology and capacity building. Ghana and Hungary’s bilateral relations date back to 1961, a year after the former was declared a republic. Hungary is among a few European countries that gave support to Ghana in the fight against COVID-19.
Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, in a speech read on her behalf, hailed the bilateral relations between the two countries, which had spurred development.
She noted that since the commencement of bilateral relations between Ghana and Hungary in the 1960s, the two countries had enjoyed cordial relations, which had witnessed the adoption of common stance at several global issues at international fora.
“The friendship has blossom over the years. It has spurred with the exchange of high-level visits, exemplified by what we are witnessing here today, which continues to deepen bilateral relations.
“It’s best mentioned that in the friendship between Ghana and Hungary, the Ghanaian society has been the beneficiary of Hungarian support for Ghana’s development process and it’s only right that I use this opportunity to commend Hungary for their support towards Ghana’s progress,” she added.
