Pastor urges religious bodies to venture into farming to support congregants’ food needs

Rev. Fortunatus Agulu, Head Pastor of Free Charis Chapel in Pungu-Bawiu, has called on religious bodies to venture into farming as a practical way of supporting the food needs of their congregants.

Speaking in an interview with Mike FM at the Kassena Nankana Municipal Farmers’ Day celebration held at the forecourt of the Municipal Assembly on Friday, December 5, Rev. Agulu stressed that the responsibilities of the church go beyond spiritual guidance.

According to him, many members turn to their pastors not only for prayers but also for physical and economic support, needs that farming can help to meet.

Rev. Agulu’s church was adjudged the Best Faith-Based Organisation in Agriculture at this year’s celebration, an honour he described as both surprising and motivating. Sharing the church’s journey, he noted that since 2019, Free Charis Chapel has cultivated rice, maize, groundnuts, and beans as part of its ministry.

“We are surprised that our church was mentioned and awarded. This is encouraging,” he said. “Since 2019, we have been farming rice, maize, groundnuts, and beans, which we distribute to needy members of the church. We also support orphanages, and during picnics or church-building activities, this is the food we use.”

He urged fellow pastors and religious leaders to adopt farming as a sustainable strategy to ease the pressure that comes with leadership roles and to help meet the practical needs of their followers.

“We encourage others, especially pastors, to do this. Sometimes members come for prayers when what they actually need is food. Let’s do this to help Ghana and to support our members,” he added.

Rev. Agulu believes that expanding agricultural involvement among religious institutions could contribute significantly to community welfare and national development.

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