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PGS Ghana prepares members for its system sustainability for organic products certification.

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Food consumption is one of the critical issues of late, especially fruits and vegetables due to the excessive usage of agrochemicals for production. This has generated a lot of diseases like kidney and liver diseases to consumers. The safe way of consuming healthy and nutritious food is to produce them organically, especially vegetables, therefore, to ensure certified organic produce by producers to consumers, the products should bear Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) mark.

PGS, a local certification system for the domestic markets that are directly managed and implemented by organic producers and consumers has organized a workshop to prepare its members for the system continuity and sustainability to assist farmers to produce organic products in Ghana.

The organic products in Ghana are produced according to the Ecological Organic Standard of Ghana (EOSG) bears the PGS mark that is only guaranteed to the organic producers once they are verified and approved through the PGS.

Olawumi Benedict, the Coordinator of PGS Ghana said farm product could be called organic when it passes the systems of inspection that conform to the moral and ethical standards across the world.

She mentioned that all farm produce that has PGS certification are organic, “PGS helps to assure the consumers that whatever is purchased that has PGS certification logo on it has gone through the inspection process and we are assuring the consumers that what they are consuming is safe, healthy, environmentally friendly and organic”.

PGS bridges the gap by assuring the consumers and the processors of the rightful activities of the farmers in the production process. This she said, gives consumers confidence and the trust of every product that has the PGS logo as safe and organic.

She called on all farmers who are interested in organic farming to register with PGS for capacity building, market accessibility, and other benefits.

“If PGS members in Ghana succeed and transform this project into Ghanaian system, and continue to provide good services to the farmers to convert from conventional agriculture into more natural agriculture that would not harm but produce healthier products for the population, it would be a great benefit for both the farmers’ and the consumers’ health”, Bernard Conilh De Beyssac, a consultant for the project said.

According to him, it is his mandate as a consultant to building the capacity of the PGS members to sustain the certification process and continue providing services to smallholder farmers to certify their organic products.

He called on the PGS members and the supporting partners to help sustain the systems since organic production is the future of Ghana’s agriculture.

As a projects implementation organization, IFOAM, a membership-based non-governmental that works to foster the activities of organic producers across the globe assisted the implementation of PGS projects in Ghana.

IFOAM is a capacity-building organization that facilitates the transition of farmers to organic agriculture, raises awareness of the need for sustainable production and consumption, and advocates for a policy environment conducive to agro-ecological farming practices and sustainable development.

“We will decide on how to support the activities of PGS in Ghana, several activities from us would be focused on logistics, monitoring, and evaluation since PGS is a newborn baby”, Sara Anselmi, a representative from IFOAM assured during the workshop.

Speaking to Agric Today, Sara explained that IFOAM would take into account all the supporting points that are raised to see the continuity of the project in Ghana. “We will take all these points into account and try to adjust our actions and our inputs towards this project’s sustainability”, she added.

In view of the PGS members, the farmers who have been enrolled in the scheme have appreciated PGS systems of education, training, and good agriculture practices by the members concerning how to grow organic products for the market. This was underlined by the PGS Greater Accra and Volta rep, Dr. Florence Vanderpuye.

Dr. Vanderpuye mentioned that the strategic plan that has been developed by the team would help to boost farmer’s confidence and know the direction of the systems in organic production.

The PGS systems according to her, are market linkages, education and training skills development, capacity building in other areas like business development, and linking the governmental institution with the system.

She called on farmers who want to grow food products organically to register and be part of the system to promote healthy organic food products for Ghanaians.

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MoFA confirms the outbreak of avian influenza (Bird Flu) disease in some parts of Ghana.

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Photo credit: Times with India

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture through its Veterinary Services Directorate has confirmed the outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza disease, otherwise known as Bird Flu in some parts of the country. These are the Greater Accra, Central, and Volta Regions. The outbreak of the disease follows the detection of similar cases in neighbouring countries since January 2021.

Through effective surveillance and disease control management, the Veterinary Services Directorate has prevented the extension of the disease into Ghana until now. Cases of the Bird Flu disease were previously recorded in 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2018, with a significant economic impact on affected poultry farmers. The zoonotic nature of the disease calls for public alert and vigilance to mitigate the possible impact on the poultry industry and public health in general.

Accordingly, the Ministry announces the following measures for immediate compliance:

  1. A total ban on the importation of Poultry and Poultry products from neighbouring countries where the prevalence of the disease has been confirmed.
  2. A ban on the movement of Poultry and Poultry Products within and from the affected regions and districts to other parts of the country, and strict inspection and issuance of permits to cover the movement of all poultry and poultry products from unaffected parts of the country.
  3. Intensification of public awareness and sensitization by Regional Coordinating Councils and District Assemblies, especially in the affected areas.

To ensure public safety citizens are advised to:
i. report any unusual death of domestic poultry and wild birds to the nearest Veterinary office and public authorities,
ii. avoid the handling of dead birds with bare hands at all cost,
iii. consume only well-cooked poultry meat and poultry products.

The Ministry wishes to assure the general public that there is no cause for fear and panic since the Veterinary Services Directorate is taking all necessary steps to contain the outbreak and spread of the disease to other parts of the country. The success of this call hinges on the full cooperation of the general public.

For further inquiries, kindly contact Dr. Patrick Abakeh, Director Veterinary Services Directorate on phone number 020-8240734.

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Poultry sector on verge of collapse

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Poultry farmers and feed-millers across the country are expressing worry over a looming collapse of the local poultry industry due to the scarcity and high cost of raw materials for feed production, which could result in significant job losses and exacerbation of food security challenges.

The Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association (GAPFA) has said despite the gains of the government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative, at least in the increasing number of beneficiaries yearly, the policy has benefitted players in neighbouring countries more than the local economy – as poultry farmers in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Togo usually source their materials from here and are willing to pay any amount.

The situation, according to GAPFA, could collapse the local industry if the government does not come to the sector’s aid.

GAPFA’s President, Michael Nyarko Ampem, told B&FT that the association, and by extension the poultry industry, is having to deal with the scarcity of maize and wheat bran, and the attendant high cost of maize, wheat-bran, and soya bean cake. These ingredients, he said, constitute about 80 percent of the total volume of ingredients needed to produce feed for poultry birds.

Indeed, in June 2020 a 50kg bag of maize was selling for GH¢65. Fast forward to November last year and the commodity’s price shot up to GH¢100; and in June this year, 2021, the same commodity at the same weight is selling for GH¢130; and the same applies for wheat-bran and soya bean cake.

“The resultant effect is that the working capital of GAPFA and most Feed-millers has been drastically reduced. But even more importantly, these cereals are hardly available on the market for us to purchase,” Mr. Nyarko Ampem said at GAPFA’s press briefing.

The effect of high prices for the cereals is that some farmers in the industry have had to sell their birds to sustain themselves in the business, with some of the farmers and feed mills being shut down completely.

Job losses
GAPFA estimates that more than 3,500 jobs are on the line in the value chain this year, as the association alone is made up of some 1,775 farmers who purchase their feed from its factory.

Apart from GAPFA, there are another 21 feed mills currently operating in Ghana. The poultry value chain – comprising seed producers, crop farmers, warehouse owners, transporters, feed mills, hatcheries, hotels, restaurants etc., – employs more than five million Ghanaians.

Gains of the PFJ
Since its introduction, the government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative has seen an increase in farmer participation. At its inception in 2017, over 200,000 farmers were said to have participated in the policy, according to MoFA. In the second year (2018) MoFA indicated that nearly 700,000 farmers benefitted, with the programme reaching one million farmers in 2019. In 2020, 1.2 million farmers were enrolled on the policy – with the initiative projected to benefit 1.5 million farmers in 2021.

Current data obtained by the B&FT from MoFA indicate that the gains of PFJ in regard to maize production have been on the increase since 2017. The same applies to other cereals including rice, sorghum, and soybean. The policy’s maize production output in 2017 was 485,100 metric tonnes (MT); 2018 – 637,200 MT; 2019 – 1,522,561 MT; and 2020 – 2,791,515 MT.

Response to PFJ gains
But GAPFA said these gains are not reflecting on the ground, as there is an inadequate volume of maize on the market to support current feed production demands. The association alone processes 160,000 MT of maize in a year, excluding the capacity of the other 21 feed mills nationwide.

Indeed, GAPFA and the Feed-millers’ association have said the current situation will negatively impact the country’s quest to ensure food security in the immediate future. Though the local poultry sector has lost some US$5million to the COVID-19 pandemic as purchases from restaurants, hotels, events drastically fell from last year, the situation has not changed much as the virus still lingers.

Ghana’s poultry imports, however, continue to soar yearly; with imports currently estimated at US$350million annually as the local industry accounts for a share of just 10 percent. This circumstance will also negatively impact the government’s ‘Grow Ghana, Eat Ghana’ agenda.

Requests
GAPFA and other poultry industry players are therefore calling on the government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to make wheat-bran and other ingredients readily available. The association also appealed for the government to sign an MoU with flour and feed millers to supply at least 50 percent of total requirements for the feed mills at a mutually agreed price.

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Why efforts by Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to help cocoa farmers haven’t worked

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A cocoa pricing agreement designed to protect farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana from destitution is being circumvented by multinationals, the main buyers of cocoa beans.

Cocoa is the plant from which chocolate is made. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana together account for 65% of global cocoa production, but farmers in these two countries earn less than 6% of the chocolate industry’s total revenue.

The cocoa bean value chain has five major segments. The first is cocoa bean production, which involves local farmers. The second is sourcing and marketing, which involves local and international traders and exporters of cocoa beans and semi-processed products. The third is processing, which involves grinders and chocolate manufacturers. The fourth is distribution, which involves retailers. And finally, there are the consumers.

Cocoa growers’ share of the final product has reduced over the years as traders, brands and retailers have taken a bigger cut. For example, according to Fairtrade, when cocoa prices were high in the 1970s, cocoa accounted for up to 50% of the value of a chocolate bar. This fell to 16% in the 1980s and today farmers receive around 6% of the value. Cocoa farmers in Ghana now make roughly $1 a day (this often includes being subsidised by the Ghanaian government). Those in Côte d’Ivoire make around $0.78 a day.

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The living-income differential programme, launched last year, was designed by both countries to help cocoa farmers escape poverty by adding a premium to the prevailing market price. But only a month after the launch of the programme, authorities in the two countries disclosed that confectionery multinationals were refusing to pay farmers the agreed living wage.

The US multinational Mondelz, for instance, was recently accused of paying a negative country differential. Last year another US firm, Hershey, bought from futures exchanges to avoid paying the differential and other companies are changing their buying patterns as well.

I have studied the relationship between growers in the two countries and global buyers in previous articles. As it is currently structured, the living-income differential programme is sending the wrong signal to cocoa farmers. And multinational buyers will benefit from it at the expense of farmers.

The main problem
Just before the October 2020 cocoa-growing season, Ghana announced that the guaranteed sum paid to cocoa farmers would increase by 28% per tonne for the new growing season. Côte d’Ivoire implemented a 21% increase in the price of the main crop of the 2020/2021 season.

These announcements were part of the living-income differential programme, which made headlines in 2019 when the two countries came together to form an agreement to provide a living wage to more than a million small scale cocoa farmers.

On the surface, the agreement looked like a cartel; it was even dubbed “COPEC”, a snide reference to the oil-exporting cartel OPEC. But there are many problems with this arrangement. Both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were betting on the willingness of multinational companies to exhibit compassion by declaring their support. Instead of restricting supply to increase prices, the mechanism simply adds a premium of $400 per tonne to prevailing world market prices (which are mainly affected by the amount of cocoa in the market), without addressing market leakages and the effect of the premium on both world market prices and future supplies.

Unsurprisingly, there has been a general decrease in demand since the programme was launched, along with reports of confectionery multinationals’ buying indirectly to avoid the premium. Hershey openly diversified its cocoa sources the moment the living income differential came online. Other confectionery multinationals are doing the same indirectly because the official demand is now significantly lower than in previous years. Multinationals are blaming this on the effect of COVID-19 on cocoa demand.

However, this explanation could be an excuse, because there is some evidence that confectionery sales have actually increased during the lockdown. Both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are likely to have a great deal of unsold cocoa at the end of the season, which will further reduce the market price.

Indeed, the Ivorian government has already announced a reduction of producer prices by 9% by April 2021; Ghana may not follow suit but the debt incurred by the Cocoa Board could well increase. Both countries have promised to name and shame companies that are not complying with the payments.

The obvious problem with the differential is that it is bound to increase cocoa supply (because more farmers will move into cocoa production) and reduce demand through official channels. Both outcomes will further increase the supply of cocoa and drive prices downward. The $400 premium or more could be wiped out of cocoa prices as a result of the extra supply that the programme creates.

One bargaining position available to African countries is to exclude from sustainability programmes any firms that fail to comply with the programme. Multinationals claim that sustainability programmes are for the good of farmers, but they actually perform practical commercial functions such as guaranteeing supply and giving certain firms the stamp of ethical sourcing needed to placate environmental and humanitarian groups and possibly avoid lawsuits.

Solving the problem
One solution to the above problem, which both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are trying to solve, is to control and restrict supply instead of simply adding a price premium.

In 1987, when cocoa prices collapsed, the then president of Côte d’Ivoire, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, responded by implementing a withholding scheme. The country then controlled roughly 40% of the market. However, this was not enough to control cocoa prices. Scholars have often suggested that Houphouët-Boigny failed to control cocoa prices in the 1980s because new supplying countries (such as Malaysia) made up for the shortfall.

Restricting supply is the one sure way to influence the price. However, this measure must be implemented differently from Houphouët-Boigny’s rash decision in 1987. Together, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire control 65% of the world cocoa market; they would only need to team up with three other countries (Indonesia, Nigeria and Cameroon) to gain a share large enough to fully control cocoa prices.

However, given the current structure of the sector in both countries, this would be difficult to achieve for two reasons. First, the IMF has already liberalised the marketing system in both countries, so what Houphouët-Boigny did in 1987 would now be almost impossible. The second, and perhaps most important, the reason is that the so-called sustainability programmes organised by multinationals in both countries are in effect productivity programmes, in that they are structured to increase production and supply. Hence, they are inimical to any attempt to control supply.

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Kenya to resume mango exports to Europe after eight-year hiatus.

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Photo credit: Jamaica Observer.

Kenya is ready to resume a multi-billion shilling mango export business to the European Union (EU) market in September, after an eight-year self-imposed ban resulting from interceptions due to fruit flies.

The EU approved the resumption of exports after tests showed reduced levels of pest incidence.

The move is a big boost to thousands of families that rely on the mango tree for their livelihoods, with the country earning close to Sh5 billion in foreign exchange reserves at the peak of its export to the European market.

To maintain the market standards, the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), the government body responsible for quality assurance of agricultural inputs and produce, is developing a certification protocol that will ensure mangoes are exported with zero pests.

Additionally, said Kephis Chief Inspector George Momanyi, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is ready to partner with the private sector to fund hot water treatment facilities to help eliminate fruit flies before export.

“What we have done is to develop a certification protocol, currently being validated by the stakeholders in the value chain,” said Momanyi.

“The tool is to ensure certification is good. We will ensure we go by it. There is the hot water treatment which USAID committed to financing part of the private sector to invest in.”

Newer technologies
Mr. Momanyi said applying newer technologies will be a game-changer in maintaining the standards. “As you eliminate the fruit fly in the farm, you may not finish it 100 percent, the hot water treatment will ensure the pests are fully eliminated,” said Momanyi.

He said the resumption of exports come at a time when there is a huge gap in the global market as the big suppliers such as China and India are in off-peak season.

“One particular advantage we have over the main suppliers is that our peak season is between November and March. We are at a point where the big producers are off-season so we need to leverage in and get into the market,” said Momanyi, noting that Kenya is ranked at between 10 and 15 in terms of production and export.

Kibwezi Agro Ltd Managing Director Mutheu Kithuma said they are not expecting challenges with quality after the resumption of exports. “For example, lower Makueni starts producing mangoes in September. This is the time when there is a gap in the global market. So we can capture this market if we capitalise on it,” said Kithuma.

The big players in the mango export market are India, China, Indonesia, and Mexico. After the self-ban, Kithuma said farmers incurred losses, prices plummeted as they only had one particular international market they were baking on.

The ban came at a time when stakeholders in the industry were conforming to markets demands. “Because of the interventions by Kephis and USAID and other key players, we have been able to create a pest-free area and we are at almost zero prevalence on fruit flies,” said Kithuma.
She noted that technological interventions will boost the sustainability of pest-free areas.

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ITA’s Agribusiness Digital Lab gives local agripreneurs a taste of Italy’s finest technology.

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Photo credit: AGRITECH WEST AFRICA

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) has successfully organized its Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab to connect Ghanaian agripreneurs to Italian agribusiness giants, who boast world-leading technologies and products capable of transforming agribusiness development in Ghana.

The event came off on June 22 via virtual B2B meetings between the Ghanaian and Italian companies. Over 50 Ghanaian-led agro companies took part in the meetings and received first-hand information about Italian technology and the offerings of Italian agro-based firms in Agricultural Machinery; Cold Chain and Logistics; Seeds, Greenhouse and Irrigation; and Sorting, Processing, and Packaging.

Italy is a leader in each of these agribusiness fields, and the Italian companies that met the Ghanaian firms during the Digital Lab are among the most outstanding global brands in these sectors. This gave rise to highly positive feedback from the Ghanaian companies about their interactions, with many expecting to establish long-lasting commercial partnerships with the Italian firms.

Eric Kwabena Agyei, a participant from 3E Farms and Foods, described the Digital Lab as a “gold mine of opportunities” since it enabled his business to build the right linkages and partnerships with seasoned agribusiness brands.

He was also impressed with the Italian agricultural machinery and technology that was exhibited and said he looked forward to solid partnerships that would drive the growth and profitability of his enterprise.

“Last year’s Virtual Macfrut Exhibition opened our business for partnerships, and this virtual B2B meeting is another dimension of opportunities coming. We are grateful to ITA for this initiative,” he said.

According to the ITA, the Digital Lab was conceived in response to requests by Ghanaian entrepreneurs to know more about Italian technology as well as Italian brands that are ready to enter the Ghanaian market.

And true to expectations, the Digital Lab confirmed Italy’s reputation for developing robust and sustainable agricultural technology that suits every climate and context in the world, making a strong case for the adoption of Italian technology to transform and modernize Ghana’s agriculture.

Anthony Morrison, CEO of the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, had this to say about the event: “My general impression was excellent; the Italian partners were very helpful, understanding and supportive. The Digital Lab provided us the opportunity to reach out to more people within a few hours.”

To Sam Zacca of Agrigenix, the Digital Lab was a perfect opportunity to explore business opportunities with international agribusiness brands in an interactive setting.

Highly convinced of the quality and superiority of Italian agro-products and know-how, he called for a dedicated credit facility with favorable terms and conditions to enable local firms to purchase Italian equipment and technologies.

“The Italian technologies, products, and know-how of the various firms are practical; they are the required type of equipment and technologies for the Ghanaian market,” he added.

Another participant, Prince Israel Akwaaba of the social impact organization Community Agricultural Development (CAD Ghana), identified big prospects for collaborations that will improve the lives and livelihoods of Ghanaians, especially women entrepreneurs in some remote areas of the country.

The Digital Lab, he said, provided the platform for discussions on exploring several technologies and opportunities in the agro extraction industry in Ghana and Italy.

“One of the Italian companies discussed the idea of collaborating with the Italian embassy to set up a small-capacity processing facility to assist the rural women in the northern regions to process shea nuts into unrefined butter for export to Italy. This initiative, if developed,
would be able to serve over 5,000 shea butter women entrepreneurs.”

Sharing his thoughts on Italian technology, he said: “The Italian companies have rich experience and the capacity to produce a complete manufacturing line for mixing, processing, thermal procedures, and world-class technologies for the food and agro extraction industry. The availability of a technical team, state-of-the-art research, and development and innovation
laboratory for potential clients is an excellent strategy to enable direct consultations between the manufacturer and the client.”

ITA supports the business development of Italian companies abroad whilst attracting foreign direct investments to Italy. With a motivated and modern organization and a widespread network of overseas offices, ITA provides business assistance and training to small and medium-sized Italian businesses using multi-channel promotion and communication tools.

Through the Digital Lab, the agency has facilitated strong connections and linkages that will spawn strategic partnerships between Italian agro-tech innovators and local agribusiness firms to transform the nation’s agricultural landscape.

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Over GHC1BN spent on importation of fertilizers for Planting for Food & Jobs – Hon. Osei Akoto reveals.

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The Government spent over GHC 1billionn Ghana cedis in 2020 to import fertilisers, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has disclosed.

According to him, this alone demonstrates the government’s commitment to the development of agriculture across the country.

Dr. Afriyie Akoto made this revelation while addressing farmers, inputs dealers, regional agriculture directors, district agricultural directors at Ahinsan in the Ashanti Region yesterday as part of his regional tour.

He made this revelation when responding to the farmers’ call on the high cost of fertilizers. “In a quest to make farmers richer the government has subsidised fertilisers in particular, by 40%, this means the farmer has extra money for savings”, he said.

Proceeding to Amanfrom Prison, the Commandant, ADP Francis M. Yelpuo, enumerated the agricultural activities ongoing at the prison yard. He said the prison has a total of 40 acres of oil palm plantation, 45 sow piggery with a current total of 373 pigs, offering comprehensive practical training to inmates and officers, 73 sheep and 59 rabbits in addition to a 2-acre vegetable farm and 40-acre of maize and 10-acre swampland, the multiplication of taro suckers for the ministry of food and agriculture (MoFA) for onward distribution to farmers.

The commandant appealed to the minister for a 3000L polytank and nipple drinkers to improve the health of the animals.

Dr. Afriyie Akoto entreated the commandant to concentrate on projects they can commercialize to resource others.

He assured of a tractor subsidy of 40% reduction to the prison farm. “I can’t promise you free tractors but I can offer you one with a 40 % reduction and that’s what we can do,” he added.

Manhyia Palace, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II elucidated the efforts of the government in raising the level of agriculture in the country, particularly in the Ashanti Region. His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said this when the Minister paid him a visit.

Dr Osei Akoto pledged his support to sustain the gains made in the agriculture sector in the Ashanti Region.

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Akyem Achiase farmers decry for the service of agric extension officers.

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Farmers in Achiase District have called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to deploy Agriculture Extension Agents (AEAs) to the district to provide farming services and facilitate dissemination of new extension technologies to farmers.

The farmers’ appeal followed an annual Research Extension farmer Linkage Committee (RELC) meeting held at Akyem Achiase in the Eastern Region.

Mr Abraham Quargraine, the Overall Achiase District Best Farmer 2020 said inadequate agric extension officers in Akenkansu, Aperade, Osoroase, and Achiase is one of the major issues of concern in the four operational zones.

He said farmers are limited when it comes to mechanised farming and called on the government to heed their request on time to bring them up-to-date with modern farming techniques to boost production.

Mr Kafui Safo, Director of Agriculture at Achiase District highlighted the importance of RELC that is basically to prioritise farmers’ constraints and finding successful actions to solving them.

The RELC was established by the MoFA and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The farmer groups expressed a lack of supply of subsidised fertiliser for cereals and legumes, vegetables, roots and tubers, fruits, and tree crops as some of the cross-cutting constraints.

It was therefore recommended that the agriculture department should intervene in providing farmers with enough subsidised fertiliser on time.

Mr Daniel Agyei – Dwarko, Eastern Regional RELC Coordinator, assured participants that the Agriculture Department would find a definite solution to the issue of improved variety of tomatoes which was not thriving in the area for many decades for its yield.

He advised farmers to cooperate with the few Agriculture Extension Agents in the area for them to be abreast with modern agriculture technologies, saying: “The appeal for adequate AEAs would be worked at.”

About 37 participants were drawn from agro-input dealers, farmers, food processors, consumers, and the Achiase District Assembly officials.

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Let’s Go Farming: Pest Control for Organic Vegetable Gardens.

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Photo credit: Devex

In one of my school garden interactions, a student asked a question on pest control, and I genuinely think though this is a specialty area it’s one of the common challenges for gardeners.

Let me expand on the answer I provided to our young school gardener. Every organic garden suffers from pests at one time or another. Usually, this is a minor annoyance with most of the damage being cosmetic. Sometimes, though, you can struggle with a pest incursion. This can be difficult for the novice organic gardener, who may be tempted to go back to conventional methods. Fortunately, there are plenty of safe, practical organic approaches to use.

1: Select plants for pest resistance
Some plants are naturally more resistant to pests. Garlic and onions are highly pest resistant. Some root vegetables like radishes are resistant to insects, although slugs and snails will still eat them.

2: Practice intercropping and companion planting
Companion planting is the practice of putting specific plants alongside each other to promote healthy growth. In the case of pest control, you should consider companion planting with species that can repel pests. Garlic is excellent for this; planting garlic here and there among your other vegetables can reduce the number of pests in your garden.

Intercropping involves planting different crops next to each other. This avoids monocultures, which can encourage pests. If a pest can’t find the right species to settle on, it can’t begin an infestation.

3: Use physical defenses.
Pest control doesn’t have to be chemical. You can protect your plants from insects, slugs, snails, and birds using physical barriers.

Nets: These are great if your problem is birds or small animals nibbling in your garden. Choose a mesh that’s small enough to stop birds from sticking their heads through the holes.

Copper wire and crushed eggshells: If your problem is damage by slugs and snails, you may need a different approach. Placing copper wire or strips along the ground can deter snails and slugs from attacking your plants. Crushed eggshells are also hard for slugs or snails to crawl over.

4: Keep your plants healthy
Plants have a surprising range of defenses against pests. They can produce substances that discourage insects from moving in and keep infestations at bay. Adequately watered, well-fertilized plants are better at fending off predators.

5: Encourage beneficial insects
Pollinators are essential but don’t neglect other beneficial insects in your organic garden. Ladybugs, lacewings, and other beneficial insects help keep down pests, eating greenflies and other bugs that you don’t want. Avoid trying to introduce these artificially. Instead, attract helpful insects by planting flowers they can feed on. These include sunflowers, angelica, and other flowers that have a flat shape and plentiful nectar.

If you’re still struggling with pests in your organic garden, you can try a few of the following organic pesticides which can be made at home:

How to make organic pesticides
The best way to make natural pesticides is to use natural products that you have lying around your house. Garden pests are repelled or killed by a surprising number of safe and natural products. Here are a few natural insect repellent recipes I know and personally use:

Organic Garden Pest Control Recipe #1
1 head of garlic, 1 tablespoon (15 ML.) dish soap (note: do not use a dish soap that contains bleach)
2 tablespoons (29.5 ML.) mineral or vegetable oil
2 cups (480 ML.) water. Peel the garlic cloves and puree the cloves along with the oil and water.
Allow to sit overnight and then strain the mixture. Add the soap and mix thoroughly. Pour into a spray bottle and use on pest-infected plants.

Organic Garden Pest Control Recipe #2
1 tablespoon (15 ML.) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (29.5 ML.) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 ML.) dish soap or Murphy Oil (note: do not use a dish soap that contains bleach)
2 quarts (1 L.) of water. Combine ingredients and pour into a spray bottle.
Use this organic bug spray on your affected plants.

Organic Garden Pest Control Recipe #3
½ cup (120 ML.) chopped hot peppers (the hotter the better)
2 cups (480 ML.) water, 2 tablespoons (29.5 ML.) dish soap (note: do not use a dish soap that contains bleach)
Puree peppers and water. Let sit overnight. Strain carefully (this will burn your skin) and mix in dish soap. Pour into a spray bottle and spray this organic bug spray on your buggy plants.

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Out of 4,400 contestants, a Ghanaian lady emerged as a winner to study food science at Lille, France.

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Godslove Boadu, a Ghanaian national who plans to study Food Science in France, is the winner of the 2021 Study a Master’s in Europe Scholarship awarded by educations.com.

Godslove has been awarded €5000 towards her tuition fees for her Master of Science and Engineering degree in Food Science at Junia ISA, Graduate School of Agriculture and Bioengineering in Lille, Northern France.

Godslove interned at the Ghana Standards Authority, before working in food safety and quality assurance at Project Peanut Butter, an NGO that helps malnourished children in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. It was through this work that Godslove was inspired to deepen her knowledge of nutrition initiatives. Godslove wants to do this in a multicultural environment to bring new perspectives into her work.

This has led her to decide to study abroad in France, one of the top five places to study abroad in Europe. Godslove’s choice was also motivated by France being home to the Paris Agreement and one of the biggest landmarks in the fight against climate change.

Having grown up in Ghana, where climate change and the welfare of rural farming communities is an issue, Godslove has been inspired to undertake her Master’s program alongside other keen industry professionals from around the world. Godslove will graduate in 2023.

Godslove’s story and future plans align with the mission of the scholarship, which seeks to recognize Master’s students who study in Europe to become globally-minded leaders.

“We are tremendously inspired by Godslove’s passion for her subject and the thought that she put into her country and program of choice. In a few short years, she has approached food science from multiple viewpoints, always with the aim of helping make the world a better place: whether through ensuring food safety, providing nutritious food to undernourished children, or developing and promoting climate-friendly foods. We are confident that she will become a leader in her field who brings a global perspective to her work,” says Abby Guthrie, Communications Manager of educations.com.

About this scholarship.
This is our second scholarship of this kind, the first one being awarded last year. It was introduced to help promote Master’s programs in Europe and their power to shape globally-minded leaders from around the world and is awarded annually.

In this round, there were over 4,400 applicants to the scholarship and the winner was chosen based on their eligibility and the following criteria:
• Globally-minded and interested in other cultures
• Motivated and inspired to positively change the world
• High academic achiever with consistently outstanding grades to prove it
• Involved in extracurricular groups and activities
• Excited to begin their adventure and share their story with the world!

Students were asked to answer the question:

“Why did you choose your study abroad country, and how will it help you grow as a globally-minded leader?”

2022 scholarships

Applications for the Study a Master’s in Europe Scholarship 2022 will open on September 3, 2021.

We have also launched our Go Global MBA Scholarship for studies starting in Fall 2022. This scholarship aims to help promising business minds take their career to the next step by studying for an MBA abroad.

If your institute would like to promote the scholarships for your students, please contact scholarships@educations.com for details.

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