Did you know that apart from cashew energising you and keeping you satiated, it can also help you relax at the end of the day and calm your nerves to ensure a good night’s sleep?
Cashews with their creamy and slightly sweet taste is a perfect snack for your mid-day cravings. Cashews are also a popular addition in Indian curries to make them richer as they add to their consistency and thickness. Did you know that apart from energising you and keeping you satiated, they can also help you relax at the end of the day and calm your mind to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Many people love to have cashews but they are also wary of them thinking they will lead to rising in their cholesterol levels. Almonds and walnuts on the other hand are more popularly advised to cut the risk of various diseases compared to cashew nuts.
However, contrary to the popular belief, cashews have zero cholesterol and are rich in protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants. They also help you sleep better.
Take a few cashews, soak them in milk for about 4-5 hours. Now grind them in a smooth paste. Put the paste in a vessel and add milk to it. Mix and add some more milk. Boil it, add sugar to it and then have it hot or cold according to your taste.
Cashews have zero cholesterol and provide the body with useful minerals and also calm your mind. So now that you know that cashews are as good for health as almonds and walnuts, do not forget to include them in your diet.
The government is working assiduously to mitigate notable challenges currently confronting the country’s agriculture sector and to ensure that such hitches do not continue into next year, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, George Boahen Oduro, has said.
The minister was speaking at the 10th edition of the Ghana Economic Forum (GEF) in Accra on the topic ‘Investment in agribusiness; critical vehicle to promoting economic growth and development’, and said the myriad challenges which have confronted the sector, particularly this year, are something that government has taken seriously to resolve in order to protect the sector’s gains.
“We are hoping that 2022 will be better than this year. What we went through in terms of delayed payments to fertiliser suppliers really affected farming this year, coupled with the shortage of certain foodstuffs such as maize for consumption and for the poultry industry,” he said.
He further stated that the ministry is currently going through the budget cycle to ensure adequate plans are made for the implementation of agriculture sector policies next year.
Some agriculture sector stakeholders who attended the event were however optimistic and expectant that, at least, 5 percent of the total national budget will be allocated to the sector.
But Hon. Oduro said the issue of percentage allocation is always agreed upon with the Finance Ministry, adding: “The Ministry of Finance will determine how much is available based on policies to be implemented”.
Current agric sector challenges Ghana’s agriculture sector experienced several setbacks in 2021, as there have been shortages of several feed ingredients including maize, wheat bran and soya bean, particularly for the poultry sector, due to exports to neighbouring countries coupled with exorbitant prices slapped on these items.
The menace of fertiliser smuggling and delay of payment to fertiliser distributors under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme has created dire consequences for the over-1.5 million farmers under the programme.
As of July this year, the government has been able to pay some GH¢250million out of GH¢940million owed dealers in fertiliser since last year.
The minister, nonetheless, maintained that the ministry is conscious of the challenges and will jealously guard the sector against any such complications next year.
Women in agriculture Hon. Oduro assured of the government’s commitment to supporting women in agriculture to thrive.
“MoFA has a directorate for women in agriculture, and the aim is to empower women groups in agriculture in order to support them in mechanising farming. We have some consignments of equipment coming from Brazil and the ministry has targetted such implements for women groups in agriculture, particularly in rice farming,” he said.
Professor Irene Egyir, Dean of the School of Agriculture-University of Ghana and who was also on the panel, said it is important for the government to prioritise women in agriculture by offering them all the necessary incentives which enable them to thrive.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Hayford Atta Krufi, has assured that adequate measures have been put in place to prudently invest pension funds of cocoa farmers under the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme to benefit contributors.
The scheme commenced on October 1, 2021, and is designed to cater for cocoa farmers after they retire from active work on their farms.
Assuring farmers that strict measures have been put in place to protect their funds, Mr Krufi maintained that all operations of the scheme will be implemented in accordance with provisions of the NPRA.
“I can assure you that every contribution to the scheme is safe. The regulator has a constant monitory supervisory role over all the activities of the scheme, and our immediate mandate is to protect the farmers’ contributions,” he said at a media engagement with journalists in Accra.
Providing details of how the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme will work, Mr Krufi stated that the fund will be governed by an 11-member Board of Trustees licenced by the NPRA.
To enhance transparency in its operations, he explained that the Board will include four cocoa farmer representatives nominated by farmers and one representative of the Licenced Buyers Association, as well as other industry players.
He added that the scheme has a fund custodian, fund managers and a fund administrator as service providers who are all independent of Cocobod and government.
“To further ensure transparency in work of the scheme, all service providers under the scheme are registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission and licenced by the NPRA,” he said.
Mode of contribution Speaking on the procedures designed for farmers to make contributions to the scheme, Mr Krufi announced that a registered farmer is required to make a mandatory 5 percent contribution of his or her produce while COCOBOD makes a 1 percent commitment to the fund.
He clarified that a farmer at his or her option may elect to make additional voluntary contributions ranging from 2.5 percent to 10 percent of the produce.
He stated that the farmers’ contribution will be deducted from the proceeds of the produce at the sale point.
“I must say that 25 percent of the farmers’ total contribution will be credited to their Personal Savings Account and the remaining 75 percent credited to the retirement account established for the individual farmer.”
Mr Krufi disclosed that a farmer qualifies for retirement after having contributed for five years, provided the farmer has attained the age of 55 years.
Benefits As part of measures to encourage more farmers to join the scheme, Mr. Krufi stated that an incentive has been embedded in the scheme to allow farmers to have access to 25 percent of their personal savings account balance prior to retirement.
“Thereafter, he or she may withdraw up to 20 percent of the personal savings account every two years after first withdrawal,” he said.
According to a study by Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the percentage of farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa using varieties of improved seed is still less than 20 percent and this signals the need to invest more in seed production systems.
This follows the drastic shortage of seeds, the inadequacy of improved crop varieties, a limited number of seed companies, and low demand for certified seed.
As Ghana joined the rest of the world to mark World Food Day dubbed, “Our actions are our future. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all” on Saturday, 16th of October 2021, the Founding Director of the West Africa Center for Crop Improvement at the University of Ghana, Professor Eric Danquah urged African governments to invest more in their countries’ seed systems.
He said with this, zero hunger can be achieved on the content, as the UN has raised concerns about the fact that the continent is home to about twenty-five percent of all hungry people in the world and has called for urgent action to feed the hungry.
Speaking to Joy News in an interview, Professor Eric Danquah said there is the need to work with the private sector in order to get seeds to farmers on time to enable them to harvest their crops.
“We are working in partnership with the legacy crop improvement center to develop foundations in certified seeds so that we can get adequate seeds to farmers,” Professor Eric Danquah revealed.
The Chamber of Fertilizer-Ghana has stressed the need for standards of fertilizer production and distribution to be raised and monitored carefully.
The chamber made the call following claims by farmers in the Nanumba North Municipality in the Northern region that the authorities sold them bad fertilizer which is negatively impacting their crops.
According to the farmers, their maize dries up upon application of the fertilizer, hence their suspicion that the fertilizer may be of inferior quality.
In an interview with Citi Business News, the Chief Executive Officer for the Chamber, Prince Akoto-Adipah said with the risk of food security on the line, thorough investigations should be launched into the allegation while authorities raise the standards in order to curb the menace.
“As a chamber, we feel that the standards can be raised a bit more and this brings us to ethical issues that have to be dealt with currently in the industry. We are very positioned to ensure that members fall in line and that they are not able to have their way wherein some instances products bagged in some branded sacks with specific formulas turn out to be different contents.”
“As much as we sympathize with farmers that have fallen victim to this, we will call as a chamber for further investigations so that they will be able to establish the real cause. So, for food security issues, we don’t have to leave any stone unturned,” he said.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) expects demand for all types of oils and fats to resume, especially for palm oil, which is seen as the most competitively priced vegetable oil in the market.
Chief executive officer Datuk Dr Wan Zawawi Wan Ismail said Malaysia and Indonesia, which contribute 85% of global palm oil production, would be the focus of the international oils and fats trade.
He said the performance of global oils and fats in 2021 revealed that this year had been challenging for both producers and consumers around the world with the Covid-19 pandemic leading to a shift in consumption patterns of oils and fats.
However, he said there are signs of optimism amid the challenge.
“With 30% of global oils and fats production coming from Malaysia and Indonesia, the role played by both countries is vital in forecasting palm oil prices,” he said in his presentation during the Pointers on Price Trends Internet seminar hosted by the MPOC on Monday.
According to data by Oil World, global oils and fats production, namely from palm oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and sunflower oil, is expected to rise to 242.76 million tonnes in 2021 from 238.61 million tonnes in 2020.
The data said out of that, palm oil is the biggest contributor and is expected to contribute 32%, followed by soybean oil (25%), other oils (24%), rapeseed oil (11%), and sunflower oil (8%).
It said consumption of palm oil-based oils and fats would also remain the biggest at 31%, compared to its close competitor soybean oil at 25%.
Wan Zawawi said that overall, the oils and fats industry reacted positively to the resumption of economic activities in major consuming countries as seen in heightened export activities in many countries.
He said the continuous recovery, both in the global economy and oils and fats prices, would likely hold firm at least until the end of 2021.
“Our top palm oil export destinations from January to September 2021 were India at 22.15%, China (11.38%), the Netherlands (6.4%), and Turkey (4.37%).
“With most of the countries coming out of strict lockdowns, the prices of major commodities staged a comeback, and it was also reflected in the rise in palm oil prices, which started the year at RM3,700 per tonne and rose to above RM4,500 per tonne in May, and the price has remained stable since,” he said.
Meanwhile, on market developments globally, he said the Indian government’s decision to lift restrictions on refined palm oil imports from July to December 2021 might change the preference of palm oil imports in India and have an impact on Malaysian palm oil exports.
He said early adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II by certain European Union member states is also affecting imports of palm oil into the region.
However, he said the festive season, particularly Diwali in India and Mid-Autumn in China, is expected to boost demand for the commodity.
Pointers is a week-long, web-based seminar accessible to participants at any time and anywhere in the world, covering topics including the fundamentals that are affecting current crude palm oil prices as well as the potential of palm products in Japan’s renewable sector.
The seminar also shared insights from experts into the markets for certified sustainable Malaysian palm oil and prospects for palm oil in Asian countries from 2022 onwards.
Chief Executive of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr. Kofi Kodua Sarpong, has called for digitalisation in the agriculture sector in order to make it more attractive for the youth to help reduce graduate unemployment.
According to Dr. Sarpong, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s economy was running at 7 percent GDP but it saw a sharp decline in 2020 due to the pandemic.
He further noted that agriculture has been a major contributor to Ghana’s economy and if harnessed properly, it will attract more youth into the sector.
“Agriculture remains one of the critical sectors that make a contribution to GDP over the years. We need to design policies that will make it more attractive, particularly for the youth. This has the propensity of creating sustainable employment, thereby, reducing unemployment,” he said this at the 10th edition of the Ghana Economic Forum in Accra.
He further urged Ghanaians to prepare themselves to go the digital way to propel prosperity for all and sundry.
“Technology undoubtedly is emerging as the force of Ghana’s economy for the 21st century of global competitiveness. Therefore, there are massive opportunities in equipping oneself in technology,” he said.
Dr. K.K. Sarpong emphasised that the energy sector is also vital in driving the industrialisation agenda of the government, adding that, investment in it is necessary for the long-term sustainability of the country’s economy.
Developing women capacities through transformation programmes is critical. Women are the backbone of the economy and having agribusiness transformation programmes would help in the creation of new jobs and translate into economic growth.
Dr. Elke Stumpf said this during the 4th graduation and the 5th enrolment ceremony of 2020 and 2021 igniters at Accra.
She commended Guzakuza for such a significant programme designed to add value to women in the agribusiness space and GIZ is happy to be part of it.
”We cherish immensely the partnership with organizations like Guzakuza and the ignite programme because they promote women and youth in agribusiness, that is one of the visions we share to promote”, she explained.
Guzakuza has shown that African led, African homegrown initiative for African development can work and has worked in the past 5 years and the gathering here is to unleash the power of innovation of the mind in the field of agribusiness. Dr. Sylvia Olanyinka BYDEN OOR
She cautioned them to be brave to withstand every challenge that would come forth as they undergo the training. “Out of one hundred and twenty (120) enrolled last year for ignite 2020, only seventy-one (71) were able to graduate, indicating the rest could not withstand the test of life but, I urged you all to over the challenges that you will face during this year’s training”.
She inspired the new igniters to commit everything to God in prayers and develop a strong faith in God and prioritize unland the unprogressive tendencies in their lives to bring out the opportunities to develop the African continent.
Giving a graduation speech, FadeKami Onasanwo, 2020 igniter extolled Guzakuza for such an inclusive and insightful programme designed to orient and develop women in the agribusiness space.
To her, being in a midst of 120 women under a single programme and mentored by someone who has 20 years of experience in agriculture has given her more skills, knowledge and understanding to expand her business.
She underscores the need for the igniter to be resilient in the training and learn keenly all the modules from the mentors and ascertain the needed skills to develop their business.
She advised the new igniters to; make every day count, dream it do it and remember the right decision to make in life might not always be the popular ones and should not be rigid their knowledge.
2021 ignite programme has enrolled eighty (80) agribusiness women from eighteen (18) African countries for capacity building to rethink, refine and refire the Female led agribusinesses in Africa.
So far Guzakuza for its Ignite programme has trained one hundred and thirty (130) women from eight (8) African countries for the past four years.
To increase productivity and sustainability among women in agribusiness, 13 women-led horticulture business owners have been trained and certified by HortiFresh through MDF West Africa to strengthen their capacity in the horticulture sector under the HortiFresh Access to Finance component in Accra.
The program was set up to build women capacity and strengthen them to be well-positioned and access funding, the Programme Manager of HortiFresh, Mrs Sheila Assibey-Yeboah mentioned.
The modules at which these women were coached for nine (9) months are business strategy, sales and marketing, human resource, business administration and financial management.
Highlighting the importance of capacity strengthening in the area of financial and business management, she stated that this capacity building will go a long way to position businesses in the horticulture sector for support from the financial sector and impact communities.
Talking about the program’s continuity, the Programme Manager said the lessons learnt from the first training would compel for an equally good selection and decision making for next year’s programme. She noted that next year would be better than this year based on the experiences gained.
She urged the women to use the knowledge gained from the training to transform and sustain their horticultural businesses to improve the horticulture sector.
The Lead Business Development Services of MDF West Africa, Susanne Roelofsen underscored the need for building women capacity as an advantage to capitalize on the opportunities presented in the horticulture sector in terms of processing and packaging to produce nutritious and healthy foods for the consumers.
She commended HortiFresh for the training and acknowledged the 13 women for their resilience in completing the nine (9) months journey of the programme.
According to her, the programme is a key milestone in getting women’s businesses ready to tap into opportunities available in the financial sector. She urged the women to strictly adhere to and implement the various elements of the programme in the day to day administration of the business.
“The programme has been very insightful and educative, it has been so intensive that they thought us so many things that have built our capacity and made our business resilience”, Dora Naana Amoah, the CEO of CARIS GOLD SERVICES said.
Speaking to Agric Today, Mrs Amoah said initially she could not perform some tasks like auditing but after the programme she could audit her accounts now but the training needs dedication and timing.
She explained that the training is a good opportunity for female agribusinesses to thrive because women need support in the agribusiness sector and such support will help in nurturing other women for national development.
She assured of good resilience business that is going to withstand the test of time and compliant.
Madam Marianne Titus Glover, the CEO of Anne’s Gardens added that the training has connected her business to many stakeholders to leverage on.
As a young woman entrepreneur what is most needed is grants to cushion the business instead of loans and more coaching programmes to monitor how the funds are been used.
The Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA) is committed to transparency and continuous improvement of Human Rights cases in cocoa growing communities, with a special focus on building the capacity and systems to improve human rights outcomes rather than punitive approaches which can lead to human rights violations.
According to CAA, as a result of the newly introduced Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System and the new Rainforest Alliance Standard, it is proper for the association to establish an assess and Address Committee to help identify risks to which cocoa farmer’s children are exposed to.
The Association explained that, the committee will help implement risk mitigation measures to prevent the identified risks from happening; monitor the actions taken to improve the way risks are addressed and remediate any case identified.
The committee includes: The 8 CAA Council Members, Chief Finance and Operations Manager, Sustainability Manager, Certification Manager and The Chairman of the Committee who is Human Resource & Administrative Manager, CAA.
This was disclosed during a 2-day workshop at the True Vine Hotel, Kumasi. The training workshop ensured that all members received adequate knowledge and skills on effective handling of cases related to remediation of Child Labor, Forced Labor, Gender and Inequality and help maintain transparent grievance procedures.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Anthony Agala said to ensure the protection of human rights in all their operational areas; the Association commits to the following actions signed by Council Members.
“We have established a system to access and address risks of child labor, forced labor, workplace violence and harassment, and discrimination; managed by competent, trusted individuals and supported by management” he pointed
Mr. Mamud Abdul Rahman the Certification Manager of CAA and a Rainforest Alliance Associate Trainer schooled members on a variety of subjects which includes: understanding the concepts and regulations of Child Labor, forced labor, discrimination, workplace violence and harassment.
Mr. Bart Draaijer the Sustainability Manager explained that, as at the 1st of August, 2021 about One Thousand Two Hundred and Ninety (1,290) households out of the expected Three Thousand Six Hundred and Thirty-Five (3,635) households have been visited in relations to child labour and school dropout cases.
“Our Child Development Officers have identified 9 cases so far and have reported to the committee. We have agreed on an amount of six thousand (USD 6,000) United States Dollars to remediate and support these children” he said.
The Chief Finance and Operations Manager, Mr. Patrick Van Brakel used the opportunity to encourage committee members to continue with their hard work and help end human rights outcomes rather than the punitive approaches which can lead to human rights violations.
