The Cocoa Abrabopa Association with the farmers planting trees to support Green Ghana initiative.
The Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA) has planted 1,500 trees to help the government to achieve the objective of Greening Ghana with nursed trees from Form Ghana. Shade trees were supplied to 351 cocoa farmers being members of the association.
Priorly, farmers received training on planting techniques and maintenance of the seedlings to increase the survival rates of the planted trees. Since 2009, CAA has run a shade tree seedling distribution and training program with its members, and up to date over 242,000 shade trees have been supplied to the members for planting on their farms.
On Green Ghana Day, the association joined the rest of the subsidiary companies of the corporate founder, Africa Tiger Holding Limited to mark the day, by collaborating with cocoa farmers at Afosu and Ofoase – Ayirebi in the Eastern Region.
The objective of the tree planting exercise was to support the government’s agenda of greening Ghana and also in memory of the late founder of Cocoa Abrabopa Association Mr. Henri Wientjes.
They believe “Green Ghana” would help to preserve the ecosystem to aid the fight against the negative effects of climate change.
Currently, the country’s forest cover stood at 1.6 million hectares from 8.2 million hectares witnessed in the 1900s.
The Council Chairman of Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA), Mr. Ismail Pomasi said it is important to restore the depleted forest cover, ravaged by negative human activities such as lumbering and illegal mining.
“We are supporting the government’s agenda; where trees we are planting today are economic trees.
We planted Mahogany, Emire, Mansonia Albizia, and Otie trees. The rationale for this intervention is to make an investment for our future children and our gallant cocoa farmers” he said.
Mr. Pomasi used the occasion to educate the community on the importance of planting trees more importantly in their cocoa farms.
“We also believe that if more efforts are made towards protecting the existing tree populations across the country, it will reinforce government’s idea of planting new trees and growing them”, he added.
Mrs. Rebecca Ayisi Asiedu, Council Member of Cocoa Abrabopa Association and Regional Representative for Eastern Region said it is only collective efforts that can help us restore our degraded forest and reforest Ghana.
“Swift reforestation is critical. The goal of 5 million trees set by the Government of Ghana is very necessary so we must all do our part.
There is no dispute that the woman farmer makes a vital contribution to the country’s economy; this is our time to help shape sustainable development in rural areas” she said to her colleague farmers.
The Operations Manager Mr. Andrew Roland Obosu and the Eastern Regional Manager for Cocoa Abrabopa Association Mr. Ebenezer Agbozo used the opportunity to thank the farmers for their continued support of policies and programs that will help restore and conserve forests and water bodies.
“As Managers at Cocoa Abrabopa Association, we are committed to enabling cocoa farmers in marginalised communities to alleviate the effects of climate change. To achieve this, our projects will continue to incorporate sustainable and livelihood enhancing practices” they said.
In attendance were also the Technical Coordinator (Ofoase – Ayirebi Operational Area) Mr. Samuel Kofi Sarfo, Child Development Officer of Cocoa Abrabopa Association (Kade, Ofase – Ayirebi Operational Area), Mr. Daniel Feda, and some cocoa farmers in the Eastern Region took part in ‘Green Ghana Day’ exercise.
Greenhouse farming is a thriving sector in Italy thanks to companies with decades of experience in providing cutting-edge greenhouse technologies and systems for the cultivation of horticultural products, including fruits and vegetables as well as flower crops.
Aside from its greenhouse expertise, Italy is also a global powerhouse in seed innovation and production as well as sustainable farm water and irrigation technologies.
As Ghana aims to boost agricultural productivity to increase output and incomes, the need to deploy modern seeds, greenhouse, and irrigation technologies is critical, as this will result in more efficient agriculture and help transform the entire sector.
Through the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Italy stands ready to introduce its technologies and specialized companies in these areas to players along Ghana’s agribusiness value chain and to also transmit valuable know-how to Ghana.
In furtherance of this, ITA will on June 22 organize virtual B2B meetings between Italian and Ghanaian agribusiness companies under the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab project. The meetings will be hosted on a dedicated portal, https://ghana-italy.digital.ice.it, where interested Ghanaian agribusiness firms can register for participation.
The following companies specializing in seeds, greenhouse technology, and irrigation will be participating in the virtual B2B session:
Berries & Breeding Molari Molari Berries & Breeding, which describes itself as one brand with two souls, is an Italian company focused on high-quality berries plants and a world-recognized breeding program.
The company’s flagship product is raspberries, in addition to blues and blacks. Molari also holds international patents for the Enrosadira®, Castion®, and Aurora® varieties, as well as the new varieties Halley and Dorotea.
Thanks to cutting-edge research and development methods, Molari Berries & Breeding has been able to build a highly recognized global reputation, driven by its goal to connect every dot of the berries supply chain, from distribution to growers.
Greenhouses Idromeccanica Lucchini SPA This company is a leader in the production of greenhouses covered in plastic material for horticulture and floriculture, complete with the most advanced irrigation and heating systems with computerized control.
Founded in Northern Italy, an area with a strong tradition in horticulture and floriculture, the company has been executing projects in the field of greenhouses production for over 70 years and exports its products to several countries across the world.
Idromeccanica’s greenhouse innovations for agriculture and floriculture tell a lot about the brand, such as its attention to detail, passion for quality, and outstanding customer care.
Greenhouses and everything that is delivered by the company are strictly controlled by the quality control office, with the materials used 100 percent made in Italy.
Irritec irrigation systems The Irritec Group, established in 1974, is among the world leading companies in precision irrigation. Irritec designs, manufactures and distributes complete irrigation systems, with a mission to improve the efficiency of agriculture and gardening.
Global water scarcity and growing food demand require the use of drip irrigation, the most efficient irrigation method allowing reduced consumption of water, energy, fertilizers and pesticides, and producing healthier and higher yields.
Irritec designs, manufactures and distributes products and complete irrigation systems for all applications. With 14 branches and over 800 employees, Irritec has production and commercial sites in Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Senegal, Spain, and USA.
Irritec is committed to spreading the water-saving awareness through know-how transfer. In developing countries drip irrigation can contribute to the achievement of food security and economic development. Thus, Irritec Academy is a training program which includes specific pilot projects for developing countries aimed at creating local irrigation experts and spreading the water-saving technology among agricultural communities.
Irritec expertise and innovation have been acknowledged by international awards, recently with the #Agrifuture prize from “Santa Chiara Lab” by the University of Siena in collaboration with Maker Faire Rome, the Italian Commissioner General’s Office of Expo 2020 Dubai. Irritec is an active member of the UN Global Compact and participated in the 2020 Edition of the “E-Africa Business Lab” program.
Luigi Floridia Electric starters Luigi Floridia – Electric starters is into the design and production of electro-mechanical and electronic controllers for starting and commanding electric motors that are used on electro-pumps and other industrial automation.
Thanks to its dedicated research for innovation and cutting-edge devices, the company holds a prominent position both nationally and internationally in the domain of electric and
electronic automation, which has allowed it to do business with partners in 64 nations from all over the world.
With ISO 9000:2015 and IQNet certifications, thanks to the quality of its production processes, Luigi Floridia provides every customer with reliability and affordability on its tailored products that are uniquely shaped to customers’ requirements.
The company has a design wing devoted to constantly enhancing its equipment and developing new prototypes with the aim of marketing leading-edge products that can challenge any competitor all over the world.
Luigi Floridia is service-ready with its excellent team tasked to ensure both pre-sales and after-sales customer satisfaction, with quick response time and prompt availability of technicians and consultants, who are also able to offer remote assistance to clients.
Automated nurseries Urbinati S.r.l. Urbinati Srl designs and manufactures modular systems for the automation and mechanization of horticultural, forest and floral nurseries.
The company has the vision of seeing “automation and mechanization in all nurseries in the world” and currently exports to over 95 countries.
Urbinati proposes customized technical solutions for nurseries for the following phases: sowing, automatic and manual transplanting, filling (pots and trays), irrigation, germination, trays washing, handling, labeling, and trimming.
All the above companies will showcase their expertise and technologies, as well as explore potential business relationships with Ghanaian agro-related enterprises, during the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab on June 22. It is an opportunity not to be missed by the Ghanaian agribusiness sector.
Chief Executive Officer, Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), Nana Osei-Bonsu has said opportunities abound in agriculture is a driver of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and businesses should take advantage.
He explained that agriculture is a major economic sector for Africa which generates around US$ 100 billion or 15 percent of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said although its contribution to GDP tended to vary widely from one country to another, ranging from just over 2 percent in South Africa to 35 percent in Mali, adding that agriculture remained a critical sector for the continent in terms of employment, food security as well as exports.
Nana Osei-Bonsu speaking at PEF’s sensitization of private sector players on the AfCFTA said Africa possessed 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, intensified its agricultural productivity, it could produce 2-3 times more cereals and grains, with similar increases in horticulture crops and livestock.
“However, the region has been a net importer of basic food products for over two decades which is likely to worsen in the short term due to the Covid-19 crisis. It is here that the AfCFTA becomes crucial,” he added.
The CEO said to effectively benefit from the AfCFTA, African countries must focus on areas where they had a competitive and comparative advantage. He said a greater portion of these opportunities are in agriculture and infrastructure.
“As of 2010, Africa still needed at least $46 billion in additional spending each year to upgrade its energy, water, and transportation networks,” he said.
He said Ghana’s intra-Africa exports value ranking in the seven products studied was generally impressive.
“Its ranks in the top 10 African countries in four products including plastics, mineral oils, pharmaceuticals, manufactures of metals; ranks in the top fifteen countries in two products including agro-processed goods, and cosmetics and places in the top twenty countries in one product textiles,” he added.
He said to ensure the participation of businesses in the AfCFTA, there is the need to develop and disseminate a schedule for implementing the thirteen years staggered tariff reduction arrangement under the AfCFTA.
Nana Osei-Bonsu said there is the need to map and review the status of implementation of AfCFTA in other African countries and build the support systems for boosting agricultural production and value addition, Intellectual property right protection to promote research and development.
He called for country-level diagnostics through the establishment of National Agribusiness Apex Chambers/Bodies to enhance Intra Africa trade and adopt improved farming practices such as enhancing agricultural production through greenhouses.
“Facilitate partnership to mobilize long-term capital from domestic private sector sources for investment in various value chains,” he added.
Dr. Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Food and Agriculture Organization, said it is important to look at the agricultural food systems for the successful implementation of the continental agreement.
He said the success of the world’s largest free trade area rested on governments and the private sector and that it is an opportunity to invest in trade and agricultural products.
Dr. Abebe called on Ghana to improve her physical and soft infrastructure such as digitalization, trade logistics, and creating opportunities for market access. “Consistent efforts are also needed to reduce non-tariffs and other challenges which contribute to a high level of informality in many African countries,” he said.
He said governments could facilitate close border trade by investing in physical infrastructure, simplifying procedures, harmonizing standards, streamlining licensing procedures and certificate of rules of origin requirements, improving market information, financing, and improving the professionalism of Custom Officers.
James Boafo, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kristen Lyons, The University of Queensland
Global businesses, donors, and governments have each pursued a Green Revolution agenda in Africa, Asia, and South America since the 1960s. Its aim was, in theory, to produce more food, reducing food insecurity and poverty. This was done via improved seed varieties, chemical fertilizers, and other agrochemicals.
However, rates of hunger continued to increase alongside the uptake of these agricultural technologies. They have also been criticized for the carbon they produce and the amount of water they use.
Despite the failings of the first Green Revolution, a second wave emerged in the early 21st century, this time primarily targeting the African continent. National policies across a number of African countries have supported this agenda. In Ghana, for example, the government worked with donor organizations and the private sector to extend the Green Revolution throughout its major food-producing areas.
The Brong Ahafo region, now divided into Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo regions, is one such area. This zone is often referred to as the “food basket” of Ghana. It leads the production of maize and other major staple crops. It is also a favoured location for experiments with agricultural modernisation, because its ecological conditions suit food crop cultivation.
We designed a study to analyse drivers of this second Green Revolution in the Brong Ahafo region. It included key champions of this agricultural transformation agenda. We also aimed to assess its impacts at the local level and on different categories of farmers.
Our study found that international donors and philanthropic organisations were central in driving Green Revolution technologies in this region. Despite the hopes – and hype – pinned on this second Green Revolution, it has failed to address the needs of poor farmers. It hasn’t reduced poverty. Rather, it has increased farm input costs, farmer indebtedness, and inequalities among farmers.
Given these outcomes, there is an urgent need to re-imagine agricultural transformation. It is farmers – not donors and philanthropists – who are best placed to lead a socially just and environmentally responsible farming future in Ghana.
Drivers of farming technologies A dominant view among government and industry stakeholders is that the current Green Revolution is vital to make smallholder farming more productive. They call for access to farm inputs and innovations, financial and agricultural services and support, and access to markets.
Our study found many actors in farming communities also shared this view. For instance, representatives from donor organisations such as the Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) championed the uptake of external inputs for increasing agricultural production.
Similarly, agricultural extension officers and representatives from local NGOs encouraged farmers to adopt these technologies. Pressure also came from commercial providers of “improved” seeds, chemical fertilisers, and other agrochemicals.
Through the uptake of these commercial inputs, farmers have become integrated within global agro-input chains. This is unlike the first Green Revolution when farm inputs were most commonly freely exchanged among farmers.
Our study shows that farmers in the Brong Ahafo region are reluctantly adopting these inputs. They are being told that doing so will help them adapt to changing ecological conditions – including shortened rainfall periods and diminished soil fertility. Such claims are not necessarily matched by farmers’ experiences.
Different outcomes The first Green Revolution has been widely criticised on the basis of its adverse social and environmental impacts at the local level. Our study of the second Green Revolution in the Brong Ahafo region demonstrates similar trends. These practices of farming have increased the costs of production and put farmers further in debt. Poor and landless migrant farmers are hit hardest.
Although new technologies may have increased yields, they have also raised costs of production – and there are no assured markets for produce. The region has no structured market systems that can ensure farmers generate an income from crops. With bargaining power skewed in favour of buyers, the prices of produce often disadvantage farmers – especially when farm produce is abundant.
But the outcomes are not the same for all farmers. Commercial farmers who are able to produce in large quantities are often linked to markets through contract buyers who purchase directly from their farms. Their financial and social capital puts these large-scale farmers in the best position to benefit from any Green Revolution interventions. Poor and small-scale farmers are unable to reap the same rewards.
The high costs of production – through dependence on costly off-farm inputs – and lack of access to ready markets are driving farmers away from food crops and towards cash crops for export. Such conditions have already threatened local food systems and will continue to do so.
Way forward Champions of the second Green Revolution in Africa – including national governments, donors, and philanthropists – promise its technologies are the answer for feeding the world, even in an era of climate constraint. Yet the reality on the ground – as borne out in our study with farmers in the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana – tells a different story.
Faced with the challenges of land shortages and changing ecological conditions, alongside insecure and unfair markets, technological interventions alone will not ensure a socially just and environmentally responsible food system.
The many diverse challenges facing farmers in Ghana – and many other parts of Africa – must be met by taking local approaches. These consider the lived experiences and expertise of farmers themselves and are supported by national agricultural policies and planning. Farmers need space to shape their own livelihoods and to innovate in response to changing ecological conditions.
The Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA) has petitioned the government on the reforms of the fertilizer subsidy programme. The petition reads as follows;
“We write to you from the Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA), petitioning your good office to reform the mode of operation of the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme and put farmers at the centre of the scheme. This will ensure efficiency and transparency in the programme.
As media practitioners working within the agricultural space, we spent the latter part of 2020 and the early part of this year, gathering perspectives from farmers across the country on what their major challenges that need attention are. And the issue of fertilizer subsidy has emerged top on the list of farmers’ major concerns.
We gather that annually, the government allocates about 207 million Ghana Cedis for the scheme to import fertilizers, which are subsequently supposed to be sold to farmers at 50% of the original market price. But the farmers say they are not benefiting, raising questions about where exactly the subsidized fertilizers go. An average of three out of every four farmers across the country we have engaged is not benefitting from the subsidy scheme.
There is so much that we’ve heard in our engagements with farmers on why they are not benefitting from the scheme. Alleged corruption, poor management, outright stealing and smuggling are but a few of the factors. We were shocked at recent disclosures by the Planting for Food and Jobs Secretariat that Ghana lost a whopping 120 million Ghana Cedis from unaccounted for subsidized fertilizers, diversion of coupons and smuggling in 2017 and 2018 planting seasons alone.
This is obviously a threat to the sustainability of the fertilizer subsidy scheme and a threat to the nation’s food security as a whole. Productivity on a lot of our farms remain low and that is obviously a source of worry. Increased application of fertilisers remains key if we will see better productivity on our farm fields.
Honourable Minister, you have also recently acknowledged how farmers sometimes travel from the northern part of the country to Accra to sit outside your office and beg for coupons to go used to purchase the subsidized fertilisers. The majority of them don’t get it because unscrupulous persons have connived with saboteurs to rather steal these discount coupons from farmers. They then turn around and sell these subsidized fertilisers to farmers at higher prices or smuggle them out of the country. These crimes must stop.
We have learnt very dishearteningly that although the distribution guidelines allow the maximum purchase of not more than 15 bags per farmer, this directive is being breached for the benefit of politically connected people in the districts. Even non-farmers are able to acquire subsidized fertilizers because of the weak administration of the programme. Now, prospective beneficiaries don’t have to prove they are farmers before getting the subsidized fertilizers. This is really sad.
We’ve also heard in our engagements that some officers at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture are part of the problem. They don’t only participate actively in the alleged stealing, but also sometimes even allegedly charge local fertilizer distributors exorbitant fees before giving them clearance to sell the subsidized fertilizers. Some farmers also claim the quality and weight of the subsidised fertilizers are not equal to that of the standard ones. Some farmers again claim the subsidy being given is only about 30% of the standard market price and actually does not equal the 50% subsidy government claims it is giving.
Other complaints include claims that even the criteria for selecting the qualified fertiliser companies for them to be given allocations to import and distribute remain a mystery as it is all shrouded in secrecy. Bidding processes are always expedited on the blindside of major players in the sector. The programme risks collapse if these concerns are not addressed as soon as practicable.
We will thus make the following recommendations for your very good office to consider as a way to sustain the scheme; • Set up a committee to review the operations of the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme since it was launched in 2008. The committee should evaluate the modus operandi of the scheme and make appropriate recommendations for changes for the benefit of ordinary farmers. You can then subsequently work with your team to implement the recommendations. • Put farmers at the centre of the programme. There exist several farmer groups including the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association, Ghana National Farmers and Fishermen Association, among others, which have members across the country and well-structured management systems at the regional and district levels. Coordinate the management of the entire subsidy scheme (from fertilizer import bidding contracts to distribution) with these farmer groups so they can ensure the right beneficiaries are getting them. • Use your good office to work with your colleague Minister for Interior and Attorney General to bring those who have been involved in the smuggling and theft of subsidized fertilisers to book, so this serves as a deterrent to others.
We all can’t wait any much longer for a well thought through, the coordinated and efficient rollout of measures to sanitize the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme. Ghanaian taxpayers cannot continue losing money to an opaque scheme and farmers cannot wait any longer for things to be done right”.
Thank you
Yours faithfully,
Richmond Frimpong (0268909020) Joseph Opoku Gakpo (0247714498) President, Deputy General Secretary, GARDJA GARDJAC
Perishable goods such as fruits, meats, dairy, and pharmaceuticals need special care during storage and transportation to preserve their wholesomeness and protect consumers’ health.
Technologies and expertise for the safe movement of these products are therefore critical in the agribusiness value chain, especially in the post-production processes.
With Italy being a global leader in the production of cold chain equipment and logistics for the transportation of perishable goods, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), which champions and promotes Italian companies abroad, has made cold chain and logistics a focal sector in the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab project.
To this end, ITA will on June 22 organize virtual B2B meetings between Italian Cold Chain and logistics companies and Ghanaian agribusiness firms under the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab project. The meetings will be hosted on a dedicated portal, https://ghana-italy.digital.ice.it, where interested Ghanaian agribusiness firms can register for participation.
The targeted sectors include fish processing and trade; the meat industry; the dairy industry; the fruits and vegetables producers; the pharmaceutical industry; and agro logistics dealers.
ITA is proud to present the following leading Italian companies in cold chain and logistics solutions for the B2B meetings:
Frigos Europe Frigos Europe is a leader in the production of refrigerated trucks for the transport of perishable goods and one of the big shots in the global cold chain business.
The company has vast experience spanning three decades in the refrigerated van market producing cool boxes for transporting perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and pharmaceuticals.
Frigos’ boxes are made of sandwich Styrofoam panels and fiberglass and are uniquely modeled to reduce thermal dispersion in addition to being humidity-resistant and eco-friendly.
The boxes can be mounted on every type of vehicle from small-sized boxes for local manufacturers and medium-to large-scale boxes for large transport companies. Designed for the African weather, Frigos refrigerated boxes are suitable for Ghanaian producers because of the usually hot climatic conditions.
The company has a noble goal of providing cold chain solutions and innovations in an ethical and socially beneficial way, prioritizing the safety and well-being of the people of Ghana and Africa, where cold chain management continues to be an issue.
As a brand, Frigos is committed to the expansion of the refrigerated transportation sector, championing the development of this market across the continent in line with its vision for quality, safe and reliable transportation of perishables.
To existing and potential clients in Ghana, Frigos comes with cutting-edge solutions that can reduce wastage from deterioration and spoilage of perishable products, which helps to increase productivity, ensure workers’ wellbeing across the entire production chain, and improve the quality of the food that is sent to the market.
Frigos is seeking steady long-term partners in Ghana for mutual gain and is willing to share skills and know-how in the production and diffusion of cool boxes.
Friostar Srl Friostar Srl is one of the experienced and reputable firms in the cold chain sector. This company designs, supplies and installs industrial refrigeration systems and professional hospitality equipment using cutting-edge technological solutions, with the aim of optimizing production capacity and energy efficiency.
Friostar has installed more than 130 projects worldwide which gives it considerable technical expertise and in-depth knowledge of local cultures, especially in Africa and the Middle East. This also gives the company the ability to adapt to the most varied scenarios: from five-star hotels to remote locations under extreme conditions.
In seeking new business in Ghana, Friostar hopes to leverage its well-established experience in the international field, reliability, and high degree of competence to offer safe and efficient project designs, employing cutting-edge tools and materials.
From the cold storage room to the cooling of processing rooms and storage warehouses, as well as process plants for seasoning or freezing, Friostar is the right companion for local businesses that need cost-effective, time-tested innovations and turnkey solutions from Italy.
Graziani Packaging Graziani Packaging is the largest Italian manufacturer of packaging materials, specialized in palletization for the logistics and export of fruits and vegetables.
For many decades, this brand has been a reliable and experienced international partner for the security of goods during transportation, working in more than 40 countries worldwide and supplying its innovative high-quality solutions that secure the shipments of fruits and vegetables all over the world.
Graziani operates through a well-structured network of agents and distributors, or directly with prestigious large companies and major brands in the sector. It has strong collaborations with major European supermarket chains in order to guarantee the receipt of intact and erect pallets at destination and the respect of environmentally-friendly rules.
All the above companies will showcase their expertise and technologies, as well as explore potential business relationships with Ghanaian agro-related enterprises, during the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab on June 22. It is an opportunity not to be missed by the Ghanaian agribusiness sector.
• Donkeys transport fertiliser unaided • Programme targets 1.5m farmers in 2021 • MoFA restricts distribution in 21 districts. The high rate of fertiliser smuggling to Burkina Faso and Togo is threatening the progress and success of the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative, Director of Crop Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) Seth Osei-Akoto has revealed.
MoFA has identified 21 high-risk districts and municipalities in five regions across the country as hotspots where the canker is prevailing.
Six districts in the Upper East Region – Bawku Municipal, Bawku West, Garu, Tempane, Kasena Nankan and Pusiga – are part of the list. In the Upper West Region, Sissala East and Sissala West municipals, Nandom, Lambusie, Nadowli Kaleo and Lawra districts are parts of the exit points; while two districts in the Northern Region, Saboba and Tatale districts; two in North East Region, Chereponi and Bunkpurugu Nakpanduri districts; as well as five in the Volta Region, Ketu North, Ketu South, Akatsi North, Agotime-Ziope and Ho West districts, are culpable.
Mr Osei Akoto who was speaking to the B&FT during a policy dialogue and sensitisation on the 2021 PFJ implementation strategy, and said: “The number of PFJ fertiliser retailers and distributors in these zones will be reduced to curtail the menace, while the various regional security councils have also been called upon to help fight the threat”.
He said the perpetrators are a cartel that has formed a complex system and are using various means to transport the fertiliser through unapproved entry points into Burkina Faso and Togo.
“In the North, some of these smugglers load fertiliser on donkeys. These animals are able to enter Burkina Faso unaided, to deliver the fertiliser. I was there; I saw some of these things, but I can’t question the donkeys,” he disclosed. The challenge, Mr Osei Akoto noted, is causing millions in financial loss and threatening Ghana’s food security.
The Head of Programmes and Advocacy of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Dr Charles Nyaaba, attested that the challenge has undeniably lingered for long. He added that middlemen hoarding the fertiliser and collusion are threatening the initiative.
In a monitoring report, Dr Nyaaba said fertiliser dealers, security officers, opinion leaders and Nation Builders’ Corp (NABCO) personnel are all part of the smuggling alliance.
The PFAG has therefore made a call for increased collaboration with traditional leaders, police officers, farmer groups, assembly members and citizens to further improve monitoring at the community level.
2021 PFJ implementation plan The government has targetted 1.5 million beneficiary farmers under the subsidy programme in all 16 regions for the 2021 planting season. The target is an improvement against the 1.2 million farmers who benefitted from the initiative in 2020.
A total of 506,000 metric tonnes (MT) of inorganic (chemical) fertilizer – comprising 346,000MT of NPK and 160,000MT of Urea – will be subsidised by the government; while a total of 15,380MT of organic fertiliser (compost- 6000MT; liquid- 3,380MT; granular- 4,500MT; and powder- 1,500MT) will be subsidised.
All NPK formulations and urea will be given to farmers at a subsidised price of GH¢48 per bag 25k. However, the organic variants have different subsidised prices ranging from GH¢7-GH¢55.
The Ghanaian government’s vision for agriculture is ambitious yet achievable with the right mix of expertise, technology, and machinery. As a critical economic area, a resilient and productive agricultural value chain would have a transformational impact on growth, job creation, and living standards in the country.
In Italy, Ghana has a trusted and ready partner for its aggressive drive to modernize and reshape the agricultural sector through the extensive deployment of machinery and tech-based agro innovations. In fact, a growing number of Ghanaian entrepreneurs are turning to Made in Italy technology, reckoning the competitive advantage it brings thanks to its features in terms of quality, reliability, and technical assistance. Consequently, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), the government agency which champions Italian companies and investments abroad, has sought to establish the right linkages and partnerships at both policy and business-to-business (B2B) levels to boost agribusiness development in both countries.
Mechanized agriculture has long been a stronghold of Italy, with a number of the global names in the production and supply of agribusiness inputs, machinery, and technologies being Italian brands. To link up these companies with the firms along Ghana’s agribusiness value chain, ITA on 22nd June 2021 will organize virtual B2B meetings between Italian and Ghanaian agribusiness companies under the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab project. The meetings will be hosted on a dedicated portal, https://ghana-italy.digital.ice.it, where interested Ghanaian agribusiness firms can register for participation.
The Italian companies specializing in agricultural mechanization that will take part in the B2B meetings are as follows:
The BCS Group The BCS Group is a leading multinational company in the mechanization industry that designs and manufactures machinery for agriculture and greens maintenance, represented by the commercial brands BCS, FERRARI, PASQUALI, and MA.TRA. and machines for producing autonomous electricity and welding units, represented by the brand MOSA.
Its headquarters near Milan, BCS is a global brand leveraging its business strategy of internationalization and expansion. The success of this strategy has seen the business consolidations leading position in the countries where it has gained great experience and also expand into developing countries with greater needs for technology and mechanization.
Today, the company boasts of over 1,000 dealers and retailers throughout the world, and over 300 importers in all the continents.
Metalmont Metalmont is an Italian engineering, manufacturing, and marketing company. Metalmont manufactures equipment for the mechanization of cereal storage plants (silo and flat warehouses).
Metalmont products include machines for the handling cereals like wheat, soya, pulses, paddy rice, cocoa and coffee beans, and many other agricultural bulk materials. Moreover, it produces materials for post-harvesting cleaning as well as high technology automation solutions for the mechanization of flat warehouses.
Currently exporting to many countries across Europe, Middle East, and some African countries, the company is known for its tailor-made solutions and readiness to partner with local companies in the establishment of new businesses.
To the Ghanaian farmer, Metalmont offers cost-effective solutions to mechanize cereal production and storage, helping to reduce post-harvest losses.
Selvatici Selvatici is a 52-year-old company that produces high technology tools for intensive and high productivity in agriculture.
The company is specialized in the production of agricultural machinery for soil preparation, such as spading machines, double spading machines, post-hole diggers with augers both mechanical and hydraulic for backhoes, and rear scrapers.
In addition, there is a line for professional gardening, including aerators and sand spreaders.
Recently, new tools have been introduced in the range, such as spading machines for two-wheel tractors, stone buriers, and bed formers.
In addition to being very well known at the national level, the company has developed an excellent sales network abroad which currently accounts for more than half of its turnover, and it can also guarantee an efficient spare parts service for years.
Tonelli Group SpA Tonelli Group SpA manufactures a full range of mixers and processing plants for the processing of food in the patisserie, confectionery, and baking industries.
With a strong commitment to standards and quality, the company has internal food technologists and laboratories that work with customers to fine-tune new recipes. Tonelli’s expertise would be a huge boost to Ghana’s food processing and baking industries.
Grillo SpA Grillo SpA offers green and eco-sensitive agricultural solutions. Founded in 1953, the company manufactures professional machines for agriculture and green maintenance. It has 5 production plants located in Cesena, Italy. It manufactures and distributes more than 20,000 machines every year across the world.
Ma/Ag SRL Ma/Ag SRL was established in 1976 to explore winning and alternative solutions to the needs of mechanized agriculture, especially in the provision of ploughing equipment.
The company produces innovative machinery for conservative agriculture, with the aim to grant high productivity levels, cost reduction, and always decreasing impact on the environment.
It has a branch that is devoted to the production of planters and has the capacity to design, produce and sell its entire product range with wide market coverage in both Europe and non-European countries across the globe.
Urbinati Srl Urbinati Srl designs and manufactures modular systems for the automation and mechanization of horticultural, forest, and floral nurseries.
Founded in 1978 by Nino Urbinati, the company has the vision of seeing “automation and mechanization in all nurseries in the world” and currently exports to over 95 countries, with a network of more than 50 official distributors worldwide.
Urbinati SrI proposes customized technical solutions for nurseries for the following phases: sowing, automatic and manual transplanting, filling—pots and trays—irrigation, germination, trays washing, handling, labeling, and trimming.
NARDI Srl NARDI Srl has been manufacturing agricultural implements since 1895 and has a mission to produce implements for modern and professional agriculture.
Its strengths include a comprehensive product range (mouldboard plough, disc ploughs, cultivators, disc harrows, rotary-hoes, mechanical seed drills, and vacuum planter, fertilizer spreader, boom sprayer, mist blowers, etc.) for a wide range of HP tractor (30-600+); quality and reliability of the implements; extensive sales network, customer support, training, and spare parts service; participation in integrated agricultural mechanization and agronomic best practices projects; and 90 years of experience in Africa.
NARDI SrI also boasts of important supplies to the governments of various countries, collaboration with important institutions like the FAO, UNIDO, ICARDA, and production of the Delfino3s plow for the fight against erosion and desertification.
Zanin F.lli Srl Zanin F.lli SrI designs and develops machines and systems such as cleaners, dryers, conveyors, and storage systems for the industrial food farming sector.
With more than 60 years of quality and experience, the company designs and builds highly specialized solutions and systems for the food industry. It has always been ahead of the times and prides itself on keeping environmental sustainability at the forefront of its approach to design.
All the above companies will showcase their expertise and technologies, as well as explore potential business relationships with Ghanaian agro-related enterprises, during the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab on June 22. However, it is a great opportunity for Ghana’s agribusiness sector to ride on for mechanization transformation.
Two persons were Monday injured in an inferno, which burnt fresh fish and property worth thousands of cedis at Elmina Fish Market, leaving fishmongers and fishermen devastated.
The fire engulfed a wooden shed where several drums of premixed fuel were kept with fishing inputs.
One of the victims, whose injuries were severe, was rushed to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Mena Ekua, a fishmonger, who witnessed the incident told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the fire started when premix fuel being transferred into a canoe by some fishermen got in contact with fire in a coalpot.
She said many of the people at the scene immediately dived into the Benya Lagoon, which prevented a possibly high number of casualties.
Confirming the incident to the GNA in Cape Coast, DOIII Abdul Wasiu Hudu, the Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Ghana National Fire Service, said his office received a call around 1207 hours on the incident.
DOIII Hudu said the Elmina Fire station deployed a team to the scene and reinforcement was later called in from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) station.
He said the fire destroyed large quantities of fish, about 10 drums of premix fuel, a canoe, a power generator, and other household items.
The PRO said due to the intensity of the inferno, some firefighters were positioned at the nearby Elmina Market Branch of the Kakum Rural Bank to protect it.
“Unfortunately, part of the roof of the bank is burnt and the heat from the fire has affected the walls of the bank,” he said.
DOIII Hudu said the victim whose injuries were not severe, told the team that they were transferring premix fuel into their canoe when it suddenly caught fire, engulfing the area within seconds.
He said the GNFS would commence an investigation into the cause of the incident tomorrow to identify the actual cause.
According to DOIII Hudu, there had been series of engagements with the fishing communities, especially Elmina, about the storage and safety of premix fuel.
Also, fire safety education had been organized many times to help prevent these kinds of incidents.
He urged the public to adhere to safety measures in their homes and workplaces.
In line with activities marking this year’s World Food Safety Day, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, Barry Callebaut Ghana has taken the message of food safety to some key cocoa-growing communities in selected districts in the Ashanti Region.
The move forms part of efforts to ensure cocoa farmers understand the need to prioritize and include good food safety practices in their work to ensure the end products from their farms are wholesome and chemical-free.
The Farmer engagement was organized in collaboration with Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Limited, the only licensed buying company for Barry Callebaut in Ghana.
Officials from the two companies visited about five communities in the Ashanti Region namely, Ankaase, Oseikrom in the New Edubiase District, Hia (Obuasi), and Marfokrom and Adoowa in the Ashanti Bekwai District.
Farmers were taken through activities that impact food safety such as fertilization, pesticide application (pest control), and handling PPE after chemical application.
Other activities were the disposal of used chemical containers, handling of products with key emphasis on preventing allergens (cashew and peanuts), carbohydrates, communicable disease, aflatoxins-buildup, use of banned chemicals and pesticide residues in cocoa beans.
A session was also held to educate farmers on everyday domestic activities likely to impact food safety such as cooking, use of clean water, detergent storage, and handwashing among others.
In his interaction with the farmers, Caleb Agblo, the Food Safety Coordinator at Barry Callebaut Ghana advised the farmers not to downplay the issue of food and personal hygiene as it has long-term effects on the end products.
‘’It’s important to ensure personal hygiene as farmers because you are not just producing for yourselves but the entire world. Wash your hands with soap and clean water before and after handling the cocoa beans to prevent cross-contamination. Also, ensure that foods that are likely to cause allergic reactions such as nuts are not dried alongside the cocoa beans on the same racks and ensure your surroundings are clean’’, he observed.
For his part, the Farm Services Manager for Nyonkopa (Assin Fosu), Ernest Kobil, called on the farmers to desist from using banned and unapproved chemicals to spray their farms as it had a dire consequence on not just their health, but on the wholesomeness of their products as well.
‘’Overuse of chemicals causes the pods to overripe and by the time you harvest, it would have turned into black beans which are inevitably rejected on the international market’’, he emphasised.
World Food Safety Day falls on June 7, 2021, and aims at drawing attention and inspiring action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, and economic prosperity.
This year’s celebration is on the theme, ‘Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow’. The Call to Action for Barry Callebaut this year is to grow it safe – The need for Agriculture and food producers to adopt good practices.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of Sourcing at Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Limited, David Koomson, has challenged farmers to prioritize accountability and bookkeeping in their operations to ensure they get value for money after every farming season.
‘’We have coaches and clerks on standby to assist you with your accounting needs. Make use of them so you can track the investments you put into your farms’’.
