172. The Marketing Department also had a division for inspection of goods and for accountancy. Of its staff of 288, there are 240 inspectors, who instruot farmers in improved methods of preparing the cocoa,
173. The work of the Department of Future Farmers has been mentioned above on pages 73 and 74,
174« The State Farms Corporation was set up in 1962 and by August 1963, was in charge of 105 farms. They consist of 17 out of the 22 agricultural researoh stations, 12 out of the 16 cocoa research stations and of all the agricultural enterprises of the former Agricultural Development Corporation, which was dissolved in June, 1962. In addition, six new farms have been established, four with technical assistance from the USSR and two with technical assistance from Israel.
175- All the farms have areas of several hundred, in some cases of several thousand, acres and grow every kind of crop, both foodstuffs and industrial raw materials. There are 80 arable, 18 mixed and 7 livestock farms.
176. From a recent publication^/ we cjuote the following definition of
the aims of the corporation.
"To show the advantages of large-scale farming in the production of more food for its employees as well as enough surplus for areas where food shortages occur in Ghana.
"To feed the people on well-balanced nutrition diet at reasonable
cost.
l/ "State Farms Corporation makes Progress", p.2.
E/CN.M/swCD/31
Page 85
"To guarantee the supply of agricultural raw material to feed the numerous factories being built in Ghana, under the country's expanding industrialization programme,
"To make life worthwhile in the village and rural areas "by
the provision of up-to-date sooial and health facilities on farms thus avoiding the drifting of people from the country-side to the cities.
"To lead in animal production in order to save the country a lot of its food imports which are rising yearly".
177• To realize its aims, the State Farms Corporation has at its disposal teohnical staff directed from a central office in Accra and distributed in the various regions and districts. Each farm is under the direotion of a farm manager, assisted by agricultural technicians.
178, One of the main problems facing the corporation is the shortage of qualified staff. It is connting on graduates from the University of Ghana at Accra and the Kwame Nkrumah University at Kumasi to fill this
•*.■■".
-gap in years to come. A qualified labour force is also laoking.
179.* . The farms are managed democratically in the sense that each has its own committee of seven members who are elected by the farm workers from among their own number. One of the first tasks of the committee is to convince the workers that the farm belongs to them and that their income depends on their enthusiasm and the quality of their work. This is why workers are paid on piece rates and not daily rates. The workers' output is increased by professional training and by the adoption of modern
agricultural practices. Canteens, run by the workers, provide morning and mid-day meals for LG 1 per month. Co-operative stores enable workers to obtain various articles which they need at low prices. These services
are highly appreciated.
E/CN.14/SWCD/3I
Page 86
180. Owing to lack of finance? the
co^o^ation^ha3-^ono©n^^^^i?e^i^-on---50-farms, each of which is to reach a size of 5,000 acres. It is not the intention to supersede the small individual farms "but rather to assure the farmer a higher standard of living by giving him a better return for his efforts, and also to raise the productivity of the country as a whole.
The Corporation was formed only too recently for us to be able to gauge its contribution to oommunity development., We are not aware of any direct collaboration between the State Farms Corporation and the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development™
181. The Agricultural Wing of the Workers' Brigade. We did not have an
opportunity to visit one of the farms run by this organization to which the Government is known to attaoh great importance. In the draft Seven Year Plan, they are valued at hG 4«8 million and it is explained that they
■will be -run on- the same basis as the state farms,
182. The Soil Conservation, Dams and Irrigation Unit. This unit, as
mentioned above in the section on "Joint Extension Campaigns",-oo~operat*sin the field with the staff of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development for the improvement of thi* water supply
andj)x-o-duotivity of the savannah areas•
iS-J. The Agricultural Education Unit. There are many possibilities offarad
to young people who wish to study agriculture. In brief, there is firstly the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Ghana in Legon near Aoora.A three-year period of study is needed to obtain the B.So. (General) Degree in Agriculture or the B.So. (Special) Degrea in Agriculture. At the time of our inquiries, 30 students were enrolled in the first year, 3 in the second and 25 in the third year of the course. 90 per cent of the students held State Scholarships, Secondly, there is the Faculty of Agriculture of the Kwame Hkrumah University of Science and Technology at Kumasi, The period of study and the qualification (diploma or degree) vary. For students admitted to the degree course on the basis of the West Affioan School Certificate at ordinary level, the course extends over four years.
If they are admitted at advanced level, they can complete it in three years.
E/CN.14/SWCD/31
Page 87
In September, 1-962, 18. students were awarded the degree. For the diploma, only the ordinary level .is needed,, and the course is for two years.
Courses are also available which enabj.e junior-level technicians to obtaiu
promotion to the senior levels,