Nhyiaeso MP Demands Research-Backed Approach for Ghana’s Mandatory Tree Crops Policy

Introduction: A Call for Evidence Over Enthusiasm

In a critical intervention that strikes at the heart of Ghana’s agricultural policy formulation, Dr. Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, has publicly urged a pause and a deep dive into research before the implementation of a bold new proposal. The policy, put forward by the Ghana Tree Crops Development Authority (GTCDA), aims to make the cultivation of key tree crops—such as coconut, cashew, oil palm, and shea—mandatory for a wide swath of public officials, including civil servants, ministers, and members of parliament. While Dr. Amoah commends the initiative’s intent to boost agricultural production and economic diversification, he warns that without a foundation of rigorous, data-driven research and comprehensive planning, the policy risks becoming yet another unsustainable program in a long history of well-meaning but poorly executed national initiatives. This article explores the MP’s detailed critique, unpacking why he believes a research-backed development framework is not just preferable but obligatory for the success of such a sweeping agricultural mandate.

Key Points: The Core of Dr. Amoah’s Argument

• Principle vs. Execution: The proposal’s goal is praised, but its lack of preparatory research is flagged as a fatal flaw.
• Sustainability Risk: Policies not built on solid data and frameworks are often unsustainable, wasting resources and failing to achieve long-term goals.
• Regional Specificity: Not all constituencies or regions in Ghana are ecologically suited for all proposed tree crops; a one-size-fits-all mandate is impractical.
• Need for a Full Value Chain Analysis: Successful implementation requires understanding land ownership, soil suitability, target production volumes, labor requirements, cost implications, and market access (both domestic and international).
• Pre-Legislation Research: Comprehensive studies should be completed and integrated into the policy or bill before it is presented or enacted.
• Political Cycle Challenge: A recurring problem in Ghana is that rigorous research is not preserved across political administrations (NDC vs. NPP), leading to policy reversals and a fragile economic framework.
• Personal Initiative: Dr. Amoah highlights his own African Research and Development Institute’s work in categorizing districts by crop suitability, demonstrating the research he believes should have already been done by the state.

Background: The GTCDA’s Mandatory Tree Crops Proposal

The Policy Unveiled

The Ghana Tree Crops Development Authority (GTCDA) introduced its proposal at the maiden Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition. The core idea is to mandate that public officers—a category encompassing civil servants, parliamentarians, ministers, and other executive appointees—engage in the cultivation of specified tree crops. The stated objectives likely include boosting domestic production of strategic crops (coconut, cashew, oil palm, shea), enhancing food security, creating jobs, and increasing export earnings. This approach aligns with broader government ambitions to modernize agriculture and reduce dependency on imports for certain commodities.

The Target Audience and Rationale

Targeting public officers is a unique strategy, potentially designed to:

• Lead by example, signaling national commitment to agriculture.
• Utilize potentially available land or resources among the salaried class.
• Create a visible, large-scale pilot program that could inspire private citizens.
• Directly link policy advocacy to personal investment in the sector’s success.

However, this very targeting amplifies the need for meticulous planning, as it involves compelling specific citizens to undertake complex agricultural activities.

Analysis: Deconstructing the “Habitual Drawback” in Policymaking

Dr. Amoah’s critique is not a rejection of agricultural policy but a forensic analysis of a systemic weakness in Ghana’s governance: the frequent decoupling of policy ideas from evidence-based groundwork.

The Research Vacuum and Its Consequences

The MP identifies a pattern: “almost all the policies, the bills, the laws, all the programs earmarked by certain governments in Ghana, are not preceded by any properly conducted research with collected data or designed frameworks.” This absence has a direct causal link to unsustainability. Without baseline data and clear benchmarks, it is impossible to:

• Measure Success: How do you know if you’ve achieved “additional 2 million tons of cocoa” if you haven’t first mapped existing production and potential?
• Allocate Resources Efficiently: Money, time, and extension services could be wasted on unsuitable land or in regions without the necessary agro-ecological conditions.
• Manage Expectations: Public officers mandated to farm may fail due to poor site selection, leading to disillusionment and policy abandonment.
• Ensure Economic Viability: The entire cost-benefit analysis, from land preparation to market linkage, remains a guess.

The Imperative of Spatial and Economic Mapping

Dr. Amoah’s questions outline a exhaustive pre-implementation audit:

• Ecological Suitability: “What is the soil content?” This involves soil testing for pH, nutrients, texture, and drainage—fundamental for tree crop survival and yield.
• Land Tenure and Availability: “Who owns that land?” This is a critical legal and social question. Mandating cultivation on land an officer does not own or have secure access to is a recipe for conflict and failure.
• Quantitative Targets: Defining specific, measurable production goals (e.g., “2 million tons”) is useless without calculating the required land area (“100,000 hectares or acres”) and verifying its availability.
• Full Value Chain Integration: The policy must consider the entire ecosystem: labor force size and skills, processing facilities, transportation, storage, and crucially, market access. “What are the other expected destinations?” for exports points to the need for trade diplomacy and compliance with international phytosanitary and trade policies.

Learning from “The White People”: A Model of Pre-Design Research

Dr. Amoah draws a powerful contrast with engineering and large-scale agricultural projects in more developed economies: “Before this structure was put in place, they had to do the soil test. What kind of soil do they have, the depth they need… They design it.” This analogy underscores a culture of front-loading investment in research and design. The policy document itself should be an output of that research, not a speculative wish-list.

The Political Culture of Policy Amnesia

The MP’s most systemic criticism is political: “Ghana is the only country where there are NDC and NPP. Most of the time our policies… are not preserved when we do research.” This suggests that even when research is commissioned, its findings are often discarded when a new political party takes power, as new manifestos and priorities replace old ones. This cycle prevents the accumulation of national institutional knowledge and leads to a “very fragile, very dependent financial environment.” A mandatory policy, especially one requiring long-term investment (tree crops take years to mature), is exceptionally vulnerable to this political volatility if not grounded in a national, non-partisan strategic plan.

Practical Advice: Building a Research-Backed Development Framework

Based on Dr. Amoah’s statements, here is a blueprint for how the GTCDA and the government should proceed:

Step 1: Commission a National Tree Crop Suitability and Land Audit

This is the foundational step. It must involve:

• Agro-ecological Zoning: Using soil science, climate data, and topography to map which districts/constituencies are optimally suited for coconut, cashew, oil palm, shea, and other potential crops (like mango). Dr. Amoah notes his own institute has already done preliminary categorization.
• Land Tenure Survey: A comprehensive assessment of land ownership patterns (customary, state, private) in the identified suitable zones. This must identify parcels of land that could realistically be accessed by public officers (e.g., through leases, partnerships with traditional authorities, or allocation of underutilized public land).
• Quantitative Gap Analysis: For each target crop, calculate the gap between current production and the desired future production target. This determines the scale of the intervention.

Step 2: Conduct a Full Value Chain and Feasibility Study

For each crop in its designated zone, a study must answer:

• Production Economics: Cost of establishment (seedlings, land prep, irrigation if needed), annual maintenance, and expected yield timelines and volumes.
• Labor and Skills: What is the labor intensity? Are there local skilled agricultural workers, or is training required?
• Processing and Infrastructure: Is there existing processing capacity? If not, what is the investment needed? What about road networks to transport produce?
• Market Analysis: Detailed study of domestic demand and existing export markets. Analysis of trade barriers, quality standards (e.g., for shea butter export), and competitor nations. This includes exploring “expected destinations” and “world trade policies.”
• Financial Modeling: Projected return on investment for a public officer participant. This is crucial for buy-in. The model must account for risks (pests, price fluctuations, climate).

Step 3: Develop a Phased, Pilot-First Implementation Plan

Based on the studies:

• Start with a Pilot: Select 2-3 well-researched constituencies with high suitability and available land. Implement the mandatory program there first.
• Create Support Mechanisms: The mandate must be coupled with robust support: provision of high-quality seedlings, technical extension services, access to affordable credit, and guaranteed off-take agreements (e.g., with GTCDA or certified buyers) to reduce market risk.
• Establish Clear Metrics and Monitoring: Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the pilot: hectares cultivated, survival rate of trees, yield per hectare, jobs created, volume sold. This creates the “benchmark to appraise what we do.”
• Integrate Research into Legislation: The final bill or policy directive should cite the specific research reports, suitability maps, and feasibility studies that form its basis. This makes the policy defensible and adaptable—if the research shows a region is unsuitable, the mandate can be exempted there.

Step 4: Ensure Bipartisan and Institutional Buy-In

To combat policy amnesia:

• The research and the resulting national strategy must be presented to and endorsed by a cross-party committee in Parliament.
• The strategy should be codified into a long-term national development plan, not just a government’s term agenda.
• Institutions like the GTCDA, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and Ghana Investment Promotion Centre must be resourced to own and perpetuate the plan beyond political cycles.

FAQ: Addressing Common Questions on the Mandatory Tree Crops Policy

Is making tree crop cultivation mandatory for public officers legal in Ghana?

This raises complex legal and constitutional questions regarding the terms of public service and the state’s power to dictate off-duty activities. Any such mandate would almost certainly require new legislation to be passed by Parliament, clearly defining the obligation, exemptions, and support mechanisms. The legal challenge would center on whether it is a reasonable and justifiable condition of public employment. Dr. Amoah’s