Mr. Yaw Biredu Boateng, the Chief Cocoa Farmer of New Nsutam in the Eastern Region, has called for the protection of cocoa farms as it has been done for the rubber plantations to preserve the trees from destruction.
He said the timber merchants invaded cocoa farms in the area, fell the timber, and carted them through the farms resulting in uprooting and destroying some of the cocoa trees.
He said galamsey operators also used excavators to dig trenches, thereby causing destruction of the cocoa farms.
Mr. Boateng said cocoa production is dwindling and if care is not taken, inputs to help increase yield would be a waste due to the activities of timber and galamsey operators.
“Cocoa is the back-bone of Ghana’s economy, therefore, there is a need to adequately secure the farms by the rules and regulations since the cocoa farms sustain the economy,” he said.
According to him, the rubber plantations in the Western Region, on the contrary, were given adequate security, which protected growers from the wanton destruction of their rubber trees.
The Executive Director of Agency for Health and Food Security (AHEFS), Mr. Kwaku Onwona-Hwesofour Asante has revealed that our region needs policy coherence and harmonization as tools to ensure functional food systems.
Mr. Asante mentioned that good food systems across the continent will empower farmers and foresters to move away from the exploitation of natural resources to the sustainable management of natural resources for long-term productivity.
“Most farmers have been regarded as producers of one species or another. It is important to note that such views disregard the role of the farmers as managers of the environment and species towards the achievement of genetic capacity for the species under cultivation”, he said.
Farmers are not just producers of agriculture commodities but rather managers of our agriculture value chain” he added.
The Forester made these observations during a presentation delivery via webinar on food systems under the theme: “Maintaining Functionalities by Building Resilience to Vulnerabilities”
The Africa Food Systems Dialogue was hosted by HIRED Consult under Mr. John Aggrey with support from Madam Esther Wanza, UNMGCY Regional Youth Focus Point for Africa, with the support of UNFSS.
Mr. John Aggrey indicated that the farmer’s activities also help to strengthen the economic, social, and environmental concerns associated with agriculture intensification.
“The need for policy coherence, harmonization and coordination are critical to ensure functional food systems” he indicated
The Executive Director mentioned that our continent is facing a looming food crisis, in addition to the health and economic crisis.
“Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Africa was already home to more than 70% of the world’s poorest people, and 55% of the world’s hungry.
The current state of African agri-food systems is the root of the disruptions to food security during the COVID19 pandemic, leaving farmers, traders, consumers, and the governments highly vulnerable to disruptions.
Weak food systems have left millions of Africans in hunger, affecting their productive capacity and the continent’s ability to industrialize, which further weakens food systems in a vicious downward spiral” he explained.
According to him, for a functional food system to be achieved in annuals and perennials crops, governments and duty-bearers must introduce a coherent policy framework that gives priority to land banking and commodity-specific value chains.
“We need to strengthen our farmer cooperatives for commodities of comparative and competitive advantage, strengthen domestic research institutions for varietal selection and climate-informed breeding, Support for and standardization of Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) and lastly enforce Green-Certification Systems empowered by strong markets and price control mechanizes” he added.
Mr. Fai Cassian Ndi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Youth Development Organization YODO, Cameroon also indicated that lack of good road accessibility from farms to market further worsen the situation in most parts of Africa.
“Reducing poverty and ending hunger depends on good agriculture practices, good roads to farms, and access to all-year-round water supply for farmers in rural areas, where most of the worlds poor and undernourished live are very necessary.
Consumer awareness connection between diet and health is quickly catching up with the general public and the demand for information on functional foods is gradually scaling up.
Africa governments need to invest more in science, technology, food laws and research as a means of dealing with functional food systems in our region” he pointed out.
There has been growing concern about the availability of maize in the country, a situation that affects our food security negatively in two folds: firstly, directly for human consumption and secondly as feed to poultry and pigs, which ultimately serve as food to humans.
Various associations like the Poultry Farmers Association have called on the government for some interventions including tac waving to enable them to import maize, soybean, and other feed ingredients to feed their livestock.
Due to the shortage, there are sharp increases in the prices of the commodities.
For example, 50-kilograms (kg) of maize, which was sold at Gh¢55.00, is now selling at Gh¢90/100. 50kg soya, which was Gh¢145, now pegged at Gh¢195.00. 50kg of concentrate was been sold at Gh¢245.00 but now it is been sold at Gh¢260.00. 50kg of the oyster shell, formerly sold for Gh¢23.00, is now selling for Gh¢33.00, and 25kg of wheat bran, which was Gh¢25.00, now costs Gh¢32.00 in Dormaa in the Bono Region not to talk of other parts of the country especially cities.
A bag of maize which was sold at GH¢150 3-4 months ago in Ejura Ashanti region, now sells for GH¢260, whiles the same which was GH¢150 in Kpando, Volts Region, now goes for GH¢300.
The situation is not different across the country: farmers in the Greater Accra Region are crying, so are those in the Volta Region and other regions.
CAUSES OF THE SHORTAGE; There are two main causes responsible for the feed shortage and they are Climate Change and the Emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate change is a change in average conditions such as temperature and rainfall in a particular region over a long period of time. This change has really affected the seasonal planting seasons leading to food shortage as it was witnessed last year.
COVID-19 PANDEMICTH. The emergence of the pandemic and its devastating effect took every nation by surprise. The safety protocol measures compelled most of the activities to be at a halt. Lockdowns affected food production, processing, and distribution. Most of the farmers were griped with fear which prevented them from production.
As Ghana is thinking of importing some items to augment their supply, countries like Argentina are suspending the exportation of food ingredients to prevent a domestic crisis.
Where Lies The Hope For The Import Dependent Countries Like Ghana?
The shortage of feed has both short term and long term effects on animal production, and ultimately our food security.
SHORT TERMS EFFECTS (LESS THAN 2 MONTHS). The effects of feed shortage in the short term: Reduce the prices of poultry and pigs. How? Because, there’s no feed, a lot of farmers will be forced to sell their birds and pigs quickly within a short time because they wouldn’t want to lose all their investment. This will bring prices down for a while.
Emaciation of Animals: people who wish to keep their animals risk keeping emaciated animals with compromised immune systems, and easily attacked by diseases, a situation that which violates Animal Right and Welfare.
LONG TERM EFFECTS (FROM 2-12 MONTHS). Shortage of Poultry and Pig: after the initial sales of the poultry and pigs, there will be shortages.
Shortage of Eggs: eggs play an important role in our Nutrition. A lot of people substitute meat with eggs. A shortage in the supply of eggs is a threat to getting the required Nutrition, therefore, since there would be a shortage of poultry, so as eggs would be of shortage.
Arbitrarily increases in the prices of poultry, pigs, and their products. Whenever there are shortages, prices eventually increase.
Importation of poor quality products: in the absence of sufficient supply, people will be forced to import anything they would get. The quality of these cannot be guaranteed.
Food insecurity for Ghanaians. The average Ghanaian is not trained to store food; we buy in small quantities, just enough to feed us for a few days. Shortage of supply will make our situation more precarious.
A total collapse of the Poultry and Pig Industry: when the duration of the shortage prolongs, poultry and pig farmers would be forced to stop production indefinitely.
Loss of jobs and income: farmers and their employees will be out of jobs and their income levels would fall.
The possibility of social vices increasing is high. As people lose their jobs and income, some may be compelled to find ways and means to get earns meat which would lead to an increase in social vices like robbery, prostitution, and more.
THE WAY FORWARD. Reducing the cost of Production in Agriculture is the sole aim of Practical Agricultural Economists and farmers alike.
In these times, we need to do Feed Ingredients Substitution; whatever is more expensive is avoided and we go for what’s less expensive “but can that work”
Our current situation calls for the use of more “Local ingredients” and “Wastes” rather than imported ones.
Products such as Cassava, Millet, Sorghum, Rice bran, etc. can replace such ones as maize, soybeans, and Wheat bran, without a significant change in the growth, Development, and Performance of the animals.
Practical Examples. This is a good time to explore other feed ingredients such: Moringa: soybean is 46% protein and Moringa is 45% protein; if soybean is expensive, it could be a substitute for Moringa.
Rice bran: Wheat bran contains 13% of protein which is equivalent to rice bran. Their digestible energy contents are also similar. Ghana does not produce wheat but rather rice, hence their brand. It is better to use the cheaper locally produced rice bran than the more expensive imported wheat bran.
Maize is 9% protein and 71% carbohydrates (mainly starch) while Cassava has 1% protein and 38% carbohydrates with a lot of fiber. We can harness cassava to replace maize or to reduce the quantity of the maize needed in the animal feed.
Leaves of Leucaena Gliricidia and Moringa are good sources of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins which could be used to substitute for soybean, vitamin premix, mineral supplements, and alfalfa.
Palm kernel cake is a good source of fiber and protein for animals. However, this is “a waste” in the palm kernel oil industry. It could be used in the pigs and poultry industry.
Sawdust: sawdust from the deep litter bedding system of keeping pigs eventually turns into feed for the pigs to reduce the cost of feeding. Why not add more of the IMO to the sawdust to speed up the conversion of the cellulose into simple sugars?
Corn cob: do you know corn cob could be used to feed animals including chickens, pigs, and ruminants? Grind them into appropriate sizes and incorporate them into the feed.
Agro-based by-products from the processing of roots and tubers, legumes, and cereals, as well as fruits and vegetables, could be used as feed. Examples: Brewer’s Spent Grains, Cassava, Yams, and Potato Peels, Banana & Plantain peels, etc. are all good alternatives to the conventional grain-based feed.
Banana and Plantain Stems: historically, banana and plantain stems have been left to rot on the farm which is the best source for both poultry and pig.
Irrigation: with irrigation, crops can be produced all year round, and shortages prevented.
The location will however determine the feed ingredients available to you for use.
A few things we need to know about whatever feed we produce are: The protein content must be appropriate for the type and age of the animals.
The energy content must be taken care of. Palatability: the feed must be readily accepted by the animals. The feed should not be too expensive. In conclusion, the situation we are facing now demands Innovation and creativity to overcome them. All hands must be on the deck.
Written by: Emmanuel Ankugah; Agricultural Economist and Agronomist.
Avocados are a delicious and unique fruit that offers a range of benefits when consumed. They are very good for your skin and hair as they are rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in your body. They are good for your digestive health and keep the liver functioning well.
Mentioned below are the best health benefits of Avocado.
Avocado good for digestion. Avocados are considered good for digestion due to many reasons. They tend to soothe the intestines, preventing any inflammation or symptoms of the same. They are also extremely rich in insoluble and soluble fiber. This helps your stool bulk up and move down the digestive tract, giving you regular and better bowel movements.
Furthermore, avocados also help your digestive system secrete more gastric bile and juices, which goes a long way in maintaining your stomach’s health as they prevent acidity and allow food to break down and be digested in a more efficient manner.
Avocados can help you treat constipation and diarrhea. They even make sure that the nutrients from the food are absorbed properly into the system.
Avocado good for dental care. Most types of bad breath are caused due to indigestion or other types of stomach problems. Start eating avocado by improving your digestive health, you can prevent or eliminate halitosis completely.
Since avocados help ensure that your digestive system runs smoothly, they can help you get rid of bad breath. Furthermore, avocados also contain antibacterial properties and flavonoids and these eliminate the bacteria in your mouth. Studies have also shown that this fruit can also help you prevent oral cancer.
Avocado has cosmetic properties. Avocados are very good for your skin and hair. If you have dry, damaged, or chapped skin, avocados can help you enrich them. They can also be used to add nourishment to dry and damaged hair. They can help treat plaque psoriasis as well and are known to prevent premature aging and the signs of the same.
Avocados are rich in beta-carotene, which is what turns into vitamin A in your system. Vitamin A is proven to be very good for your skin and hair.
Avocado good for your liver. Your liver is an extremely essential organ and determines the health of your entire body. This is why it is vital to take care of it well. Avocados can help protect your liver from damage. This is mainly because they help tone up the liver, which means that it secretes bile and gastric juices properly and on a regular basis. This goes a long way in preventing it from damage.
Avocado good for your kidneys. Avocados help you maintain the health of your kidneys. It can balance out the minerals and fluids in your body, which is really handy if you suffer from a kidney disorder.
Avocados are also very rich in potassium. This is pertinent because this mineral helps your body maintain its fluids and channel them out of the body when they are not required. When these fluids are balanced, your kidney functions at an optimum level as it is responsible for moving out the fluids and toxins in your body.
Avocado helps in morning sickness. Morning sickness is a normal part of pregnancy but that doesn’t stop it from being highly inconvenient and even uncomfortable. While there’s not much that can usually be done about this, eating certain fruits and vegetables can help make it easier or even make it stop eventually.
Avocados are one such fruit. They are rich in vitamin B-6 and this vitamin is known to help with nausea and vomiting. While you may not be completely free of morning sickness till your body dictates otherwise, this fruit can certainly reduce the amount you throw up or help with the frequency.
Avocado good for arthritis. Avocados can help treat arthritis. They are filled with a variety of healthy nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, phytochemicals, and fatty alcohols.
Avocado help in reducing inflammation that occurs in the muscles and joints and can be very useful for people suffering from arthritis. It can help with the pain that is associated with arthritis and even bring down some of the swellings that may make it hard to live a normal life.
Avocado has antioxidant properties. Including food products that contain antioxidants in your diet is vital these days because of the kind of strenuous lifestyles that most people lead. Harmful pollutants in the air, stress, and an unhealthy diet can really take your system a toll and it’s important to have some sort of damage control mechanism in place.
Avocados are rich in antioxidant properties. This means that they help get rid of the free radicals in your system and also boost your immune system, keeping you healthy. They are even known to be effective against certain types of cancers.
Avocado good for the eyes. Avocados are rich in beta-carotene, which turn into vitamin A in your body, they are good for your eyes and can help improve your vision.
Avocado benefits for diabetic patients. Avocados also offer a host of other health benefits. They can prevent you from a vitamin K deficiency. They can help you prevent weight gain while still maintaining a diet that’s rich in important nutrients. They help reduce blood glucose levels and can therefore be very beneficial for diabetics.
Avocados also promote a healthy heart as they help lower LDL cholesterol levels, prevent cardiovascular disease. Since they are rich in potassium, they also help lower your blood pressure on the whole.
A farmer by the name of Mr. John who is believed to be in his 40s has allegedly murdered his seven (7) months old son and stabbed his girlfriend by the name Hamidiya at Gambia in the Upper Denkyira Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana.
According to the report, the incident happened on 30th December 2020 when the farmer tried to butcher the girlfriend with a machete but wrongly landed on his son’s head and stabbed the girlfriend who was pregnant.
Hon. Suleman Mumuni, the Assemblyman in the area told Agric Today that Mr. John had a heated argument with his girlfriend after a young man had followed the girlfriend to the house to receive a Christmas gift.
“Madam Hamidiya came back home with a young guy who has requested for Christmas gift from her. Upon reaching the house, Mr. John who was by then cooking threatened the young guy which made him run away. Right after that, Mr. John had a quarrel with the girlfriend which resulted in hitting the girlfriend with a machete but it landed on his son’s head who was then at the back of Hamidiya. Noticing the blunder caused, he stabbed the girlfriend who was then pregnant and fled”, he sadly narrated.
According to Hon. Mumuni, Hamidiya was rushed to the hospital but Mr. John and the 7-month baby could not be found.
He said that the girl had a miscarriage as a result of the treatment meted to her by the boyfriend.
Hon. Mumuni told Agric today that prior to this tragedy, this same man shot at his girlfriend but fortunately, he missed the target. “Mr. John on October 2020 shot at his girlfriend but God been so good the girlfriend survived and the case is even pending at the police station”, he added.
The case has been reported to Dunkwa divisional police command for investigation and the entire community is in a search for Mr. John and the remains of the baby.
Agric Today would follow the case and bring the outcome to its cherished readers.
Is there really one fruit that can give you fresh glowing skin, regular periods, and a flattened tum? Yep. You better believe it. Papaya, AKA ‘the fruit of the angels’ is well known to provide a TON of life-changing benefits. So if you’re looking to start getting healthy and beautiful, consider this delicious fruit.
Pawpaw, ‘the fruit of the angels’.
It protects your heart. When cholesterol becomes oxidized it clogs and narrows your arteries, but thanks to papaya’s amazing benefits it can do lots for your cholesterol. Its rich source of vitamins B, C, E, beta-carotene, and lycopene helps reduce the oxidation of cholesterol within your body’s arteries, which can only be a good thing!
So by increasing your intake of foods like papaya, you can improve the blood flow to your heart, thereby reducing your chances of heart attack and stroke! Don’t know about you, but we are all over this.
It gives you glowing skin. Papaya has special enzymes called papain which act as an exfoliation agent by breaking down the surface of the skin cells, lock in moisture, reduce pore size, and keep the wrinkles at bay.
Director of natural skincare range, Rhodes to Heaven, Annabel Rhodes says, “It has an incredibly high amount of antioxidants making it amazingly effective at removing dead skin cells as a natural exfoliator and also aids skin repair.”
This not only means it can give you radiant skin but its exfoliating benefits can also do wonders for dandruff, blemishes, and dry cracked heels too! For a quick natural pick-me-up apply fresh thin slices of papaya on your face for 25 minutes. Failing that, try this papaya resurfacing peel from Ling Skincare. We’re totally in love!
It aids digestion. Papaya is great for aiding poor digestion. Its healing powers help take the stress off your digestive system helping you metabolize and break down foods faster than ever before!
Nutritionist at The Nutri Centre, Lorna Driver-Davies explains further, “Papaya is well-known to support healthy digestion as it contains natural enzymes for general digestion but in particular protein digestion.
It’s a great food source for diabetics. This mouth-watering fruit can be eaten without having to fret over high natural sugar content which makes it a no-brainer for diabetics! What’s more, papaya is also a fantastic source of antioxidants, making it a practical and affordable choice for anyone seeking a guilt-free treat.
It’s anti-aging. Ladies, it’s time to eat your way to younger-looking skin and papaya’s abundance of natural alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) will help make your skin look brighter, plumper, and smoother (without the dizzying price tag).
Furthermore, the “low sodium quality of papaya means it’s amazing for hydrating the skin and increasing the elasticity and suppleness,” says Annabel. Sounds like a winner to us!
It helps reduce cholesterol levels. This orange fleshy fruit is an ideal option to help reduce your cholesterol level, which has proven to abate with a fiber-rich diet.
For a heart-healthy breakie, add sliced papaya to a bowl of natural porridge first thing in the morning. Both foods contain cholesterol-fighting fibers which help eliminate low-density lipoprotein (LDL), ‘the bad cholesterol’ from the body.
It’s a tasty way to fight cancer. Nutrient-rich foods are known to help protect the body’s natural defense. Like many fruits, papaya is rich in antioxidants. But it’s pretty hard to compete with since it’s combined with cancer-fighting lycopene and another (less well known) carotenoid called beta-cryptoxanthin, which proves to protect against lung cancer.
Annabel says, “Research has shown that Papaya is a potent cancer fighter that is highly effective against hormone-related cancers as well as other cancers. It can help to stop the growth of breast cancer cells, halt metastasis, and normalize the cell cycle.”
As a natural cancer-fighting remedy try papaya extract with green tea. Evidence suggests that the two help slow tumor growth and kill cancer cells.
It’s an anti-inflammatory. It might be a hell of a long time ago but in 1492, Christopher Columbus coined the papaya as the ‘fruit of the angels’ for its amazing anti-inflammatory powers. He was obviously onto something as research found that the fruit’s proteolytic enzymes can be JUST as effective as many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While papaya’s soothing properties can also help relieve pain from ailments such as arthritis, edema, and osteoporosis.
it helps to control menstrual Irregularities. Papaya is another period-loving food we’re obsessed with. Just take it from women around the world who regularly use pawpaw to help regulate their menstrual cycles, especially during menopause.
And because papaya’s a natural anti-inflammatory, it’s also a great way to help alleviate painful period cramps too!
It can help flatten your stomach. Want to shed that last bit of blubber? Papaya’s super enzyme, papain helps to promote faster digestion, relieve constipation, and promote healthy waterworks which ALL aid efficient weight loss.
Furthermore, one cup is only 55 calories so you’re hardly compromising your summer beach bod, are we right?
Boost your eye health. Papaya is the ultimate eye insurance! Much like carrots, papaya provides us with carotenoids. Being rich in beta-carotene, carotenoids lutein, AND zeaxanthin make it a fab way to help against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Tip: Try to eat at least three or more fresh fruits per day as studies have proven that it can greatly reduce your risk of AMD.
Opanin Kofi Asaam is 74 years and has been farming cocoa all his life. He lives alone at Tenyikwa, a village in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region. His children are not into cocoa farming now.
Although Opanin Asaam introduced all his children to cocoa farming, none of them is currently into cocoa farming. They also do not live in the same village with their father. They are in town, practicing different vocations.
Even though Opanin Asaam owns several acreages of cocoa farms even at his age, clearing his cocoa farms as well as harvesting them and drying them has now become a herculean task for him. He struggles to do it.
“I hire people to help me harvest my farms or clear the weeds,” he said, adding that “My children are not interested in cocoa farming and I can’t force them to do it.”
For Opanin Asaam, his children are not interested in cocoa farming because the sector is no more attractive to the youth who see white-collar jobs and other forms of occupation as the best option to make a meaningful life.
“In our time, the options were not many so we followed our fathers to farm. But now, there are many opportunities for our children so they are not interested in cocoa farming,” he explained.
He added “Every child in the village also wants to live in the city and do the work you are doing,” looking in the face of this reporter.
For Opanin Asaam, many people tend to see cocoa farming as the work for the poor and uncivilized, hence many youths shunning from it.
“Children of our days want to live luxuries life and such life cannot be found in cocoa farming,” he explained, noting that “No cocoa farmer wants his or her child to be poor like them so the parents themselves will not even encourage their children to go into cocoa farming.”
He thinks that if care was not taken to incentive cocoa farmers, a time will come that Ghana will not have cocoa because there will be nobody in the sector.
“How many young people are farming cocoa now?” Opanin Asaam quizzed, pointing out that even the few young people who are into cocoa farming now, have left the farms in the care of their aged parents in the villages.
Ama Donkor, 49, and Ekua Takyiwa, 56, agree with Egya Asaam’s views. For them, cocoa farming has now become the preserve of the aged because the young ones are not interested in it.
“All the cocoa farmers in this village are old. We are all farming cocoa because we cannot change our work,” Ekua Takyiwa explained why many aged people are still farming cocoa.
“If we were young too, we would have also abandoned cocoa farming; there is nothing in it now,” she added.
Kojo Amoasi, 67, a cocoa farmer is not only concerned about the ages of the cocoa farmers but the cocoa trees themselves.
For him, although many cocoa trees are old and needed to be replaced with new plants because the farmers are old and are unable to do a lot of work, such aged trees are still found on many farms.
“Just go to the farms and you will see many farms that have been abandoned. When the owners die, their children don’t continue the farms,” he said.
According to him, some farmers sometimes mortgaged their farms and when the farms are finally returned to them, the plants are not in the good shape to bear fruits and so they leave such farms to go waste.
Amoasi thinks that the government needed to motivate cocoa farmers enough to encourage young people to go into it, saying “If young people find money in cocoa farming like galamsey, they will join it.”
According to him, many young people have abandoned cocoa farming for galamsey.
He also expressed concern about land acquisition challenges as some of the factors that are pushing many young people away from cocoa farming.
“Some of these young people have seen their parents sharing their farms with others and in some cases, the landowners taking the better parts of the farms; why would they follow suit?” Amoasi quizzed.
A stitch in time saves nine. As an industry that gives Ghana a lot of foreign exchange, the country needs to take immediate steps to address the challenges confronting the sector, such as that of the aging farmers and farms.
Business Consultant, Nataki Kambon, says Ghana stands to benefit immensely from the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) if it can take advantage of the production of Indian hemp in the country.
Parliament earlier this year passed a bill that allows for the cultivation of cannabis solely for industrial and medicinal use.
Nataki believes the production of hemp in Ghana stands to create investment opportunities for the country while the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, presents a wider market reach.
She stated that “we can also create jobs for the people who would be in the sale distribution chain. The people in transportation, distribution, etc, and think of all the jobs it creates just by planting these seeds and allowing them to grow into crops. It also opens the door as we now have the ability to do free trade throughout Africa. I’m working with so many investors from the United States who are interested in how to invest in Africa. There are many black people in the US, UK, and other places who want to invest in Africa and this is an opportunity to open the door to some even small investment groups that can participate in meaningful ways to help create better lives for all of us around the world.”
The World Health Organization (WHO), estimates that around 147 million people, or 2.5 percent of the world population, consume cannabis.
On the African continent, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Lesotho, and South Africa, are among countries that have decriminalized medicinal cannabis use.
The economic potential of the medicinal and industrial cannabis industry has been one of the main reasons for the change in legislation in these countries.
Ghana in March 2020 decriminalized the use of cannabis for health and industrial purposes.
Parliament passed the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019, which also makes the country’s Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) a Commission with enhanced powers to oversee the industrial use of some narcotic substances.
The new law also empowers the Minister for Interior to grant licenses for the cultivation of cannabis of not more than 0.3 percent THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that gives the users a high sensation, for industrial and medicinal purposes.
Nataki Kambon spoke to Citi Business News on the sidelines of the Ghana Hemptech conference 2020.
The event focused on education, policy investment, and technology in industrialized hemp.
The programme was organized by the CEMT and the Ultimate Farmers Alliance and its partners in Ghana and the Diaspora
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a juicy, delicious, tropical fruit packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other helpful compounds that can protect against inflammation and disease.
While pineapple and its compounds have been linked to several health benefits, one may wonder whether this sweet fruit offers any advantages for women.
May protect against osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that’s characterized by weakened, fragile bones due to a reduction in bone mass density. It’s an irreversible condition that increases your risk of bone fractures, which can be quite debilitating and even require surgery.
While any individual can develop it, osteoporosis is four times more common in women than in men.
One nutrient that’s important for bone health is vitamin C, which has been shown to stimulate the production of bone-forming cells and protect bone cells from damage.
In fact, adequate intake of vitamin C has been linked to higher bone mass density and a reduced risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture.
One review of 13 studies found that individuals who ate vitamin-C-rich foods more often had a significantly lower risk of developing osteoporosis and 34% lower incidence of hip fracture.
Just 1 cup (165 grams) of cubed pineapple provides 88% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C. It also provides 5% of the DV for magnesium, which is also important for maintaining strong bones
Thus, incorporating pineapple into your diet may benefit bone health and help prevent osteoporosis.
Provides important nutrients during pregnancy. Despite the claim that eating pineapple can be dangerous during pregnancy, there’s currently no research to prove the notion.
In fact, pineapple can be a very nutritious addition to your diet while pregnant.
While needed in small amounts, copper is a mineral that’s essential for red blood cell formation. During pregnancy, your copper requirements increase to 1 mg per day to support the increase in blood flow that occurs during pregnancy.
Copper is also needed for the development of your baby’s heart, blood vessels, and skeletal and nervous systems.
One cup (165 grams) of cubed pineapple provides approximately 18% of the DV for copper during pregnancy.
Pineapple is also a good source of several B vitamins, including Vitamin B1 (thiamine) Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) Vitamin B9 (folate) While they each have their individual roles, B vitamins, in general, are key for the proper growth and development of your baby (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
Additionally, pineapple contains vitamin C and small amounts of iron, zinc, and calcium — all of which are important for a healthy pregnancy (1Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
Pineapple is considered safe for women, however, due to its high acidity, eating pineapple may cause an increase in heartburn or reflux symptoms in individuals with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Additionally, if you experience any allergic symptoms after eating pineapple, it’s important to call your physician. Potential signs of allergies include:
Itching or swelling of your mouth. Difficulty breathing. Hives or rashes on your skin. Congested or runny nose.
If you have a latex allergy, you may be more likely to have an allergic reaction to pineapple. This is referred to as latex-fruit syndrome and the result of pineapple and latex having similar proteins.
The Dormaa Poultry Farmers Association has appealed to the Government to waive taxes on imported poultry inputs to ameliorate production challenges.
Mr. Dennis Ansu Agyemang, the Public Relations Officer of the Association, made the appeal when he addressed a news conference at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.
He said the poultry industry had a long value chain including farmers, farmhands, egg sellers and transporters, loading boys, maize and feed sellers, poultry sellers and feed millers.
Those in the value chain, he noted, were adversely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and an outbreak of bird flu in Europe.
“This has created shortages in the supply of maize, soya meal, and other inputs used in the preparation of our poultry feed. Economics indicates that when demands exceed supply, there will be shortages and prices will be forced to rise,” Mr. Agyemang said.
He explained that the situation had necessitated the increment in the price of poultry products, adding: “We have, therefore, admonished our members to either sort their eggs into four groups – large, medium, small, and pullets or will not grade at all and call it unsorted, to get the right prices for business progress.”
Mr. Agyemang said 50-kilograms (kg) of maize, which sold at Gh¢ 55.00, was now selling at Gh¢90.00, while 50kg of Soya, which was Gh¢145, now pegged at Gh¢195.00.
He said a 50kg of concentrate was Gh¢ 245.00 but now sold at Gh¢260.00, a 50kg of the shell, formerly Gh¢23.00, now sold at Gh¢33.00, and 25kg of wheat bran, which was Gh¢25.00, now cost Gh¢32.00.
He expressed the hope that government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, would positively respond, as a matter of urgency, to save their businesses from collapsing.
