Professor Boniface B. Kayang, the Project Coordinator of the Ghana Grasscutter Project, has stated that the future of grasscutter farming in the country looks very bright based on the high interest and demand for grasscutter.
Prof. Kayang who is also the Head of Department of the Animal Science, School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, said grasscutter meat is a delicacy for everyone in the country, hence the availability of already market for the meat.
Prof. Kayang who stated this during a follow-up training workshop for key beneficiary farmers and stakeholders in the Upper West Region noted that due to the high demand for the grasscutter, they are trying to increase as well as add value in the form of processing the products to meet both domestic and the international market standards.
“We want to see grasscutter meat on shelves in shops like Shoprites and other supermarkets that export it to the international market,” he said.
The Grasscutter Project Coordinator noted that before the introduction of the project in the Upper West Region, there was no grasscutter in the region, however, starting with a few farmers on a pilot basis, they now breed over 700 animals.
He said the region currently has 42 grasscutter farmers with over 200 live grasscutters. He added that they had so far sold over 170 grasscutters at prices ranging from GHȻ150.00 to GHȻ200.00 per one.
Prof. Kayang noted that they had made a lot of progress in grasscutter farming in the region judging from where they started and expressed optimism that the enthusiasm was growing and more people would join after the workshop.
He said through the Grasscutter Initiative for Rural Transformation (GIFT), they would continue to supply interested farmers with grasscutters as well as the cages to enable them to start and also become grasscutter farmers.
The Grasscutter Project Coordinator, however, noted that the issue of domestication of the grasscutters is still a challenge, which together with the National Institute of Genetics in Japan they are trying to address through selective breeding.
Mr. Mahama Adams, a 66-year-old Grasscutter Farmer, said grasscutter farming for him is a big business, noting that it is out of the business that he is able to take care of his family.
He said the availability of a market for the animal is a major motivating factor to engage in the business. He stressed that anytime his grasscutter is ready for the market, all he has to do is to make a call to the project team and it would be sold.
The Ghana Grasscutter Project has been in operation for the past six years since it was launched in 2014.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the University of Ghana, Ajinomoto Foundation, Kyoto University, Gifu University, and the National Institute of Genetics all in Japan as well as the University of Edinburgh, the UK to support farmers in the region to rear grasscutters to augment the family income, improve protein intake and promote environmental and wildlife conservation.
Your mother was right all along – breakfast actually is the most important meal of the day.
Most of the current official nutritional guidelines even recommend that one eats breakfast daily and it is claimed that by skipping it one is raising the risk of obesity.
Studies have shown that those who eat breakfast tend to be healthy with a lower chance of being overweight or obese and also have a low risk of numerous chronic diseases. There is an increased likelihood that those who eat breakfast have a healthier diet as they consume more fibre and micronutrients.
It is advisable to take breakfast each day to curtail these health effects.
The drop of Blood Sugar Level. Breakfast is literally meant to mean ‘breaking the fast’ from the time you’ve spent asleep throughout the night. Eating in the morning helps to restore glycogen and stabilize the levels of insulin. By ignoring and not replenishing your glucose levels in the morning you will end up feeling overly hungry, irritable, and fatigued. These symptoms are the first thing you’ll experience in the morning especially if you skip your morning meal.
Slows Down of Metabolism. Some evidence suggests that by eating breakfast you can encourage your body to burn more calories throughout the day. When you don’t eat any food for a long period of time, your body begins to store as many calories as it can, in order to prepare for a potential period of starvation. As metabolism levels slow down, the body even turns to the glucose which is stored in your muscles as a backup source of fuel, which effectively means that your muscles waste away.
Increase Stress Hormone Levels. Eating breakfast can have a positive effect on cortisol – the primary ‘stress hormone’ which is produced by adrenal glands. The levels of cortisol are highest at around 7 am in the morning, which is why it’s important to eat something so that you can bring the hormone levels back down. When cortisol levels are too high, you will most likely feel anxious or jittery.
Increased Risk of Heart Disease. By regularly skipping morning meals you are more susceptible to weight gain and at an increased risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. A study over the length of sixteen years found that men who skipped breakfast daily were twenty-seven percent more likely to experience heart attacks or have coronary heart disease as the cause of their death.
One of the most common reasons that people avoid eating breakfast in the mornings is because they simply don’t feel hungry. If one can relate to this, it is better to start the day with a milkshake or a healthy smoothie instead. Aim to keep a dinner portion sizes small and cut back on alcohol and any snacks just before sleeping, so one can work towards building a healthier routine.
To mark the launch of the 2020 Cocoa Barometer on the first of December, Solidaridad’s Isaac Gyamfi & Heske Verburg write about the need to change gear in the cocoa industry.
WITH EVERY BITE OF OUR FAVOURITE CHOCOLATE BAR, WE SWALLOW THE DELICIOUS PRODUCT OF A BROKEN SYSTEM THAT NEEDS OVERHAUL.
The cocoa industry is profiting from disempowered cocoa farmers, and despite twenty years of warnings about exploitation, deforestation, and child labour, the industry has achieved very little to make things better. But now, there are enough calls in the cocoa community to make the changes that would end these practices. The battle to stop cocoa poverty has finally come.
The State of Cocoa The pervasive problems in the global cocoa industry have resurfaced with the latest publication of the Cocoa Barometer – a major report on the sustainability of the cocoa sector published every two years. It reveals that little progress has been made to improve the systemic challenges facing the future of cocoa.
While Covid-19 has caused a dip in demand, we fully expect the long term demand for cocoa to be resilient. Cocoa farmers have worked hard to meet this demand; and while cocoa production in West Africa alone has almost tripled in the past 30 years to meet global demand, farmers are still poor. The price of cocoa has been stubbornly low for a long time.
There have been many interventions by various actors in the last couple of decades to address the pervasive problems. Needless to say, these interventions have not yielded the results we need for a lasting impact on farmers and their communities.
Why Is It So Difficult? Persistent problems in the cocoa sector have a common cause; poverty.
Farmers are in poverty through a lack of living income. A lack of a living income leads to unsustainable farming practices, including deforestation linked to cocoa farming, and the pernicious problems of irresponsible labour practices including a child and forced labour.
The last 20 years of activity has partly failed because the industry’s engagement with farmers has been inadequate, and failed to address the needs of raw material producers. Failing to include farmers in the design of these interventions meant that one after another, ‘top-down’ projects and initiatives were decided using industry-based approaches. The root causes of poor cocoa prices, poor infrastructure, poor transparency, and poor accountability were unaddressed, leaving farmers poor.
Farmer-centric Approach. Cocoa farmers’ poverty persists also because of the unequal bargaining power between cocoa farmers, and both large multinational companies and governments. Despite Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire’s governments collaborating to improve prices for their farmers, the stronger position of the larger traders, processors, and retailers means that cocoa farmers are ‘price takers’. Despite the range of options available for these larger organizations, including redirecting dividends, the Barometer report makes it clear; companies say they would pay their cocoa farmers more, but only if their competitors do it first.
To make everyone pay, a level playing field is needed. Refreshingly though, some companies are beginning to break cover and call for regulation to make this possible. Finally, many in the sector are now overtly admitting farmers must be paid a living income.
Solidaridad has been working to make supply chains more inclusive for over 50 years, and with momentum building, our expertise in how to take a farmer-centric approach is crucial as these discussions progress. We will empower farmers and civil society organizations from producing countries to enable them to be part of the much-needed inclusive conversation. We will also advocate for policymakers to adopt policies that drive corporate accountability and support farmer inclusivity. With this call, we play our part as a civil society organization.
A thorough process is needed to develop effective policies, and we are pushing for a different approach that’s inclusive. With our Civil Society partners, we have already published recommendations for inclusive partnership development between the European Union, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana Governments. We believe that three critical shifts are needed to push the cocoa sector fully into its highest sustainability gear:
1.Refocus From Technical To Political Solutions. Most cocoa sector sustainability efforts have been looked at through a technical lens. Much of the discussion on deforestation and agroforestry focuses on technical aspects of what makes a good agroforestry system, and the lack of living incomes has been addressed through productivity increase, income diversification, and increasingly self-managed financial inclusion mechanisms (VSLAs). These are all valuable approaches, but they are not enough if you don’t discuss the elephant in the room: unequal value distribution and unequal power. Power in the form of bargaining strength, but also the power that comes with having social and political influence. It is time to balance these technical approaches with stronger political commitments and solutions by both national and international governments and the cocoa industry and to implement the payment of fair prices through sustainable arrangements.
Small and technical tweaks are just not enough anymore. The necessary changes require a culture-shift and real political ambition, commitments, and actions.
2.Ensure Inclusivity And Redistribute Value And Power. There is a real need for multi-stakeholder forums where all stakeholders can sit together to discuss and resolve issues. We know from experience that if you don’t meaningfully and permanently involve farmers in discussions about how the industry works, at all levels, they remain disenfranchised, and then initiatives serve only the industry’s needs or governments’ revenue needs.
Inclusivity helps ensure actions are fully integrated into local socio-political and economic contexts, so they can survive longer than the lifetime of just one project, and reach true farmer and community interest. Civil society institutions play an important role here.
For this to be effective, barriers to participation must be overcome. Especially important is involving women, who face more challenges to having the voices heard despite the essential role they play in agricultural work.
3.Move From Voluntary To Mandatory Frameworks. Voluntary standards just aren’t going to do the job, and the increasing numbers of cocoa companies asking for an EU due diligence regulation are proof enough of the momentum for change.
For companies, there are clear benefits. Mandatory due diligence regulation provides some clarity and certainty. It will mean that the entire sector needs to act and, importantly, that companies can be held accountable for their actions and face consequences if they fall short. It would level the playing field by requiring all competitors to operate according to the same principles, and corporations could no longer use competition as a reason to ignore human rights abuses or environmental degradation.
For Solidaridad, those frameworks have to address fair prices. This is achievable through inclusive dialogue and engagements.
The Growing Momentum For Change. The biggest prize could be that regulation enables more joined-up efforts. No more hit-and-miss standalone initiatives, but a real systemic movement with farmers at its heart.
The good thing is that cocoa won’t be alone in doing this. Other sectors are catching up with their own debates on introducing sustainability regulations. They all share similar traits; harnessing the growing political and ethical momentum to introduce mandatory sustainability regulation, involving farmers and workers as core partners in decisions, and ultimately ensuring that global companies value the farmers and communities who grow and produce the world’s food for the long term.
How We Can Help. A functioning cocoa sector is one where farmers are respected enough to be listened to and to be paid a fair price for what they give us – a taste of something rich, distinctive, and satisfying.
Whether you are the government of a producing or consuming country or just a passionate chocolate-lover, the 2020 Cocoa Barometer gives some clear actions you can make. The report is published by the VOICE Network, with support from Solidaridad and many other organizations working towards a more sustainable cocoa sector. We know how to work in partnership.
We both challenge and help companies and governments create more farmer-centric approaches. You can rely on us to help you achieve that.
Ghana is a key leader in the world cocoa market. According to history, cocoa was first brought to Ghana by Tetteh Quarshie from Fernando Po in 1879. Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire provide about 50 percent of the world’s cocoa supply. The cash crop is of high value as the export of cocoa fetches the country’s foreign exchange.
Revenues from the exportation of cocoa are used to provide social amenities such as roads, hospitals, schools, etc., and equally, contribute to national development.
Cocoa farmers experience extreme poverty in West Africa, amid the immense contribution to the development of the country and the sub-region. Cocoa Barometer (2015) posits that farmers in Ghana earn about 85 cents a day, and Ivorian farmers, 50 cents.
As farmers are contributors to Ghana’s cocoa success story, how do we ensure that farmers enjoy much more from the fruit of their labour?
Cocoa is a perennial crop, requiring enormous attention and care, from nursery through cultivation to harvesting. In all these processes, the farmer dedicates skills, labour, time, etc. to ensure that the crop is in good condition.
Cocoa production is labour intensive. In the past, farmers, in their quest to get more hands (labour) on the farm, brought forth more children to get more hands in helping in the cultivation.
The Government of Ghana has been instrumental in improving the living conditions of cocoa farmers through various policy interventions. It is worth noting that the efforts of farmers have been boosted through policies from the central government geared towards enhancing the cultivation of the crop.
The government has implemented the mass spraying policy; a service through which cocoa farmers have their crops sprayed under the Cocoa Fertilizer Programme to boost production.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has also instituted the Cocoa Farmers Scholarship Scheme for children of cocoa farmers to be able to get an education in high schools. Other roads have been rehabilitated under the Cocoa Roads Improvement Programme.
Other benefits to farmers have been in the areas of health, infrastructure and other interventions.
Bottlenecks. The interventions outlined may not directly translate into better standards of living for cocoa farmers. Farmers are paid the basic income of raw cocoa seeds (GH¢ 475 per kilo bag of beans). Farmers are disadvantaged because the produce in its raw state has less value compared to the finished product.
Secondly, farmers are mostly at the receiving end with the fluctuation and price volatility of the cocoa price on the world market. As the prices of cocoa fall on the international market, the burden is pushed onto the farmer, reducing his/her income amid a Price Stabilisation Fund established by COCOBOD.
In order to escape the pricing effect, farmers sometimes smuggle the commodity to neighbouring countries to earn a higher price. For example, about 50,000 tonnes of cocoa were smuggled to Côte d’Ivoire during the year 2000, as taxes on cocoa in neighbouring countries were low.
As farmers work throughout the years, they are most vulnerable in times of old age. This is because the incomes earned over time may have been spent on the upkeep of their families.
In this regard, there have been calls by cocoa farmers in Ghana on the government to institute a pension scheme to manage contributions towards a secure future. This menace threatens the sustainability of cocoa farming in Ghana.
Young farmers are not replacing the old ones, as the youth are not encouraged to venture into cocoa cultivation. Other serious repercussions include the trading off of cocoa farms for illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).
A farmer in Wassa Amenfi East District in the Western Region sells his cocoa farmland for GH¢ 30,000 (USD 6833.85) as “the ‘golden pod’ – cocoa – no longer provides economic returns worth their time and energy.”
The burden of nation-building has been put on the shoulders of the central government to deliver on the country’s development agenda. However, the contribution of the private sector has proven to be a massive conduit to achieving growth.
The private sector has demonstrated achievements and results in professional fields in serving the interest of consumers and delivering on attainable goals and targets.
An instituted pension scheme for farmers will not only take care of cocoa farmers after 60 years, but it will guarantee the sustainability of cocoa production as the youth will be attracted to continue the cocoa legacy and pride.
The time is now, for us all to galvanize momentum in supporting private sector endeavours in contributing to pensions for cocoa farmers in Ghana.
In conclusion, the contributions of cocoa production to Ghana’s economy has been phenomenal. In order to complement and reward the efforts of cocoa farmers, there is the need to institute interventions, including pension schemes that will contribute to guaranteeing the sustainability of the commodity and ensure continuous contribution to national
Ghana and Ivory Coast are said to cancel all cocoa sustainability schemes run by American chocolate manufacturing giant – Hershey – within their jurisdictions, according to reports by Reuters News Agency.
The chocolate-maker is allegedly accused of attempts at avoiding the payment of the Living Income Differential (LID), a $400 per tonne poverty alleviation fee imposed by Ghana and Ivory Coast on their produce in 2019 and paid directly to millions of poverty-stricken cocoa producers.
“In a letter addressed to Hershey and seen by Reuters, the Ivorian, and Ghanaian cocoa regulators accuse Hershey of sourcing unusually large volumes of physical cocoa on the ICE futures exchange in order to avoid the premium, known as a living income differential (LID),” the Reuters report said.
The report further noted, the letter verified as authentic by spokespersons for the Ghanaian and Ivorian cocoa regulators, also accused Fuji Oil Holdings’ Blommer subsidiary of aiding Hershey.
In cracking the whip on Hershey’s attempt to undermine the LID policy, “Ivory Coast and Ghana, which produce two-thirds of the world’s cocoa, said they are also barring third party companies from running sustainability schemes in the West African nations on behalf of Hershey.”
The schemes certify cocoa as sustainably sourced, allowing companies to market their chocolate as ethical and charge a premium for it.
It is the stance of Ghana and Ivory Coast that, although sustainability schemes may be targeted at poverty alleviation in cocoa communities, they are limited in coverage as not all cocoa farmers benefit. However, the LID which is applied to the farmgate price of cocoa reaches every single cocoa farmer in Ghana and Ivory Coast.
The cocoa superpower duo of Ghana and Ivory Coast paid the LID realized from the sale of their produce on the markets to their farmers in a historic first, wherein Ghana, for instance, the cocoa producer price saw a record 28% hike from GHS515 per 64kg bag to GHS660.
Following up the Monday action by the West Africans Reuters reported, “Hershey and Blommer had no immediate comment.”
“Hershey said last week it was committed to paying the LID, and that the majority of cocoa it bought would continue to come from West Africa and would include the LID for the 2020-21 crop and beyond.”
The news agency however said, “several market sources said Hershey had recently struck a deal with the ICE exchange to take physical delivery of a large amount of cocoa, allowing it to buy less from Ivory Coast and Ghana and so avoid the premium.”
In October 2019, as chocolate makers dragged their feet at buying Ivorian and Ghanaian cocoa plus the new $400-LID, the duo threatened a total cancellation of all sustainability schemes in a run-up to the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Berlin but backtracked on firm assurances buyers would comply.
Stay of Action
“After very difficult engagement with industry, we have come to a clear understanding that industry now generally supports the living-income differential,” Ghana Cocoa Board Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boahen Aidoo said at a conference in Berlin, which he addressed jointly with Yves Brahima Kone, the managing director of Ivory Coast’s cocoa regulator.
Coconut water is replete with antioxidants. Drinking coconut water helps in fighting fatigue and exhaustion. It helps with quick digestion and prevents bloating after a meal.
Have it in the morning on an empty stomach to boost metabolism. Coconut water has been regarded as a miracle drink by many. It is one of the best drinks to combat the summer heat and also serves as a powerful natural sports drink for an instant boost of energy. It is low in calories and contains natural enzymes and minerals like potassium that make it a super drink. While it is good to sip on fresh coconut water any time of the day, drinking it at the right time can definitely double the health benefits that you can derive. Now if you have decided to live your life the ‘healthy way’ why not be doubly sure, right?
Here’s everything you need to know about the best time to drink coconut water to reap the maximum benefits.
The best time to have coconut water.
Unlike other drinks, there’s no one best time to have coconut water. You can enjoy it during the day and even at night, but drinking it at some specific times does certainly help.
Drink it early morning on an empty stomach. Drinking coconut water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can help in many ways. Coconut water contains lauric acid, which helps in boosting your immunity, kick-starting your metabolism, and facilitating weight loss. Pregnant women are often recommended to have coconut water to fight dehydration and constipation. It also helps relieve morning sickness and heartburn, which are common symptoms of pregnancy.
Before or after a workout. As shared earlier, coconut water is a great natural sports drink that helps in hydrating your body and boosting energy before a workout. Whereas after a workout, coconut water helps in replenishing the lost electrolytes during the intense session. Drinking coconut water helps in fighting fatigue and exhaustion and is one of the best energy-boosting drinks. Drinking coconut water helps in fighting fatigue and exhaustion.
Pre and post meals. Drinking a refreshing glass of coconut water before a meal makes you full and thus, prevents overeating. It is low in calories and easy on the stomach. Drinking coconut water acts as a digestive. It helps in quick digestion and prevents bloating after meals. Regular consumption of coconut water also helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance in your body and thus, keeps your blood pressure in control and improves digestive functions.
Before going to bed. The sweet and pleasant fragrance of coconut is known to have a psychological effect that helps diminish anxiety and slows our heart rate. Sip some coconut water before hitting the bed to fight stress and calm your mind. Moreover, drinking coconut water at bedtime may help in flushing out all the toxins and cleansing your urinary tract, thus preventing infections and kidney problems.
Great hangover cure. Did you know that a glass of coconut water is one of the best home remedies to get rid of a hangover? Alcohol causes dehydration which may lead to a headache and a nauseous feeling the next morning. Coconut water helps in fighting both and also restores the lost electrolytes making your feel better.
Coconut water is packed with essential nutrients like potassium, manganese, Vitamin C, calcium, and dietary fibers that make it a very healthy and refreshing drink.
Water indeed is essential for all life on, in, and above the Earth. Water is important because human beings are made up mostly of water. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water.
Drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning can be immensely beneficial for the body!
We tend to complicate things when it comes to taking care of our health. A few simple steps can go a long way in taking care of our health, and one easy way of ensuring it is by drinking sufficient water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Not only does it clear your stomach, but it also goes a long way in reducing the risk of a number of diseases.
Water purifies the colon and it improves the stomach’s chances to absorb nutrients properly. A better digestive system automatically takes care of a lot of other things. It is also one of the secrets behind glowing skin, as water removes the toxins from the blood. Drinking water also improves the creation of new blood cells as well as muscle cells and helps you in losing weight.
Also, make sure not to eat anything for a while after you drink water in the morning. This water treatment therapy has no side effects and boosts your metabolism greatly. About four glasses of water (one litre) on an average daily would be great. If it feels too much in the beginning, you can start off slowly and then gradually increase the intake!
The Programmes Manager of Conservation Alliance (CA), Mr. Raymond Owusu-Achiaw, and his organization have declared their support for the ongoing “End Use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides campaign” that seeks to promote the safe usage of only government-approved pesticides across the country.
According to him, research conducted by his organization (CA) showed that many farmers are unaware of the dangers associated with the abusive usage of pesticides.
He indicated that pesticides such as Confidor and Condo that are used in cocoa farming are as well misused by some of the vegetable farmers; posing a threat to humans lives.
“Why has Europe banned the use of certain pesticides and chemicals but still producing it for Ghana and Africa?” he quizzed.
The Programmes Manager says the struggle to end the use of highly hazardous pesticides is a duty of all and not only the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)
He stated that some of the pesticides supplied to cocoa farmers in Ghana have been phased-out in the European Union (EU) due to the dangers associated with those chemicals.
Citing Mozambique as an example, Mr. Owusu-Achiaw said Ghana can learn from the southern African country by banning some pesticides and encouraging the use of organic pesticides.
“We must all as a nation agree on a plan of action to end the use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in the country” he noted.
Mr. Osei Kwame, Country Director for Rainforest Alliance Ghana explained that Conservation Alliance (CA) collaborated with Rainforest Alliance (RA) under its Sector Partnership Program to implement a project to gain a better understanding of pesticide use within the cocoa sector in Ghana.
“Our work is to strengthen the alliance with other stakeholders (NGO’s, Media and FBO’s) as drivers of change in the sector” he added.
Ms. Ruth Adu-Acheampong and Mr. Agyeman Dwomoh officials from the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana explained that disease and pest control should be based primarily on good agricultural practices and technologies.
“We need to intensify education and create more awareness on Highly Hazardous Pesticides risks on consumers and farmers”, she explained.
The Project Administrator for Ghana Agric & Rural Development Journalist Association (GARDJA) Mr. Quainoo Reuben sought to know how these Highly Hazardous Pesticides come into Ghana and Africa.
“If the EU believes these pesticides are Highly Hazardous; why are they still producing it? Who is importing these Highly Hazardous Pesticides into the country? Or is it business for some Cabals who don’t care about our health but only think of their profit?” he quizzed.
Farming, though not an attractive employment opportunity for many young individuals in the country, it is a blessing in disguise. Farming as a business is lucrative and at the same time very unattractive when approached with a cultural attitude.
Undoubtedly, we have few of the youths involved in farming. As recorded in The Ghana Census of Agriculture (GCA), 2017/18, only 29.7% of people engaged in agriculture are youths (15-35 years).
Despite a small percentage of youth involved in farming, there’s hope for those engaged. Since agriculture remains the backbone of Ghana’s economy, every other government initiate policies and programs basically to develop the sector.
In April 2017, the president of Ghana H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo initiated a flagship agriculture program called Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ). PFJ under the watch of Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto; the minister for Food and Agriculture is aimed at developing Ghana’s agriculture sector to create jobs and to move the country into a food secure state. Since its inception, the program has received a lot of attention from the media and has led in all agriculture discourse. The five years-long programs have other sister programs like the Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ) and Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD). Working with farmers in diverse rural communities, here, I stand to share some of the impact and opportunities created by the program as well as the lapses and the way forward.
Land Accessibility. The country’s agricultural lands are underutilized because the means of production are hard to come by especially among the youth. However, one beautiful culture that exists in most rural communities is how they are willing to offer their lands to the youths for farming. In some communities, what one needs to do is to get one or two of these items; Kola, Schnapps, Skin of a Sheep, Palm wine, Pito (a local drink made from fermented corn), and One Hundred Ghana Cedis. With these requirements, a Chief can allocate as much as ten acres of land to one to farm arable crops.
The elders of these communities believe that, if even the dead keep increasing their numbers, how much more they the living. PFJ has even made most communities very open to youth farmers today. Some community Chiefs now advocate for youth involvement in the program since they are willing to give them lands to farm. Having access to land becomes much easier when a youth enters a community through the assistance of the various District Agriculture Departments.
Land Preparation. Since the commencement of the program, a huge number of farmers have benefited immensely from this life-transforming policy. Though there is no land preparation package attached to the policy, steps have taken to revamp the country’s agriculture mechanization services unit. For some districts and constituencies, the assembly or the Members of Parliament have provided tractors to support this initiative in their respective areas. These tractors plow between 40% to 50% discount of the original charge. This has equally reduced the cost of production by a significant margin.
Fertilizers. Soil nutrient depletion has been so drastic in our time. Hence, crop nutrient requirements in many cases must be supplemented from an organic or inorganic source. For ideal yields, maize must be supported with N.P.K at the growing stage and Urea at the tasseling stage. On averagely performing soils, farmers use 150kg of N.P.K and 50Kg of Urea per acre. The provision of subsidized fertilizer is a major pillar of the PFJ program. Aside from the unprecedented slashing of fertilizer prices by 50% subsidy, availability has also improved. The government now outsources from local producers.
These new N.P.K (+ TE) are with trace nutrients for better growth and yield of crops. Previously, imported N.P.K weren’t fortified with these trace nutrients. In the open market, 50Kg of N.P.K used to be sold between Ghc.150 to Ghc. 180 but the same quantity goes for Ghc. 80 under PFJ. Urea is equally Ghc. 80 under PFJ even though it is -sold between Ghc. 120 and Ghc. 160 in the open market. One significant change resulting from PFJ is a positive toll on the prices of fertilizers in the open market. While the prices of fertilizers have to fall, there’s equally a break from the overwhelming annual rise in the prices of fertilizers. This increased the number of farmers who access and used fertilizers to improve their yields.
Seeds. Improved seeds are an indispensable resource for agriculture development and growth. Since the initiation of PFJ, improved seed from both local and foreign sources have been made available to farmers. Top-notch corn seeds like Pannar, Lake, and Pioneer which were expensive for farmers are now sold at 50% of their original prices. Just like fertilizer, these improved seeds are available in the system. The advantage in planting these varieties under PFJ is that they give a high yield and they are more resistant to drought as compare to the traditional seeds our farmers plant.
Pests. Recently, the biggest enemy to maize farmers in Ghana is the Fall Army Worm (F.A.W). The devastating nature of the worm with an uncontrolled appetite for the corn at all stages of growth is very worrying. A number of proactive measures have been considered to combat the worm under PFJ to subdue the ripen effect of the worm on the corn. Educating farmers about the worm have been supported with the distribution of chemicals to spray the worms. The good news is that these chemicals since 2017 are freely given to the farmers at no cost through the various District Agriculture Departments. This has been a worthy relief to farmers. This has also given birth to innovative ways of using local herbs to control the worm.
Yield Improvement. There has been a meaningful improvement in the yields of corn for the past years. Farmers who planted hybrid varieties and apply the right amount of fertilizers on a timely basis have recorded an impressive improvement in their yields per acre. Currently, under optimum environmental conditions with the right agronomic practices, a farmer can harvest between 1.25 tons and 2 tons on an acre.
Storage and Marketing. Smallholder farmers continually struggle with the poor handling of their harvest. Storage is the next step after harvest when foods aren’t moved immediately to the market. While the country put up a warehouse closer to the farmers, new hope sparks in the heart of the farmers. The disruptive nature of our rural-urban market network in many instances compels farmers to sell at relatively low prices. Now farmers have the free will to sell their harvest to the National Buffer Stock. Farmers are mostly aware of the pricing of the National Buffer Stock which isn’t influenced by availability during harvesting season. In the open market, farmers are most likely to face poor pricing at the peak harvest period.
Apparently, there is an advantage in selling to National Buffer Stock since their prices are predetermined at the beginning of the season. This has increased the marginal profits of farmers since the effect of demand and supply on pricing is neutralized by this system. In addition, it has helped the marketing power of farmers and reduced the stress they go through to store and to sell.
Inadequate Mechanization Services. Surprisingly, some smallholder farmers at this age still practice the traditional methods of farming. Aside from availability problems, the cost of mechanization services is sometimes overwhelming for our poor farmers. Tractor services made available by some District Assemblies or MPs at affordable prices is being helpful. However, some farmers have the notion that the service is political, therefore, they do not want to patronize it.
Addressing this challenge will require the establishment of district-level agriculture mechanization centers. These centers should be well resourced to provide diverse mechanization services for farmers. This could be ‘Private-Government’ owned and managed to avoid the previous experience of mismanaged Agric station resources.
Unscrupulous retailing prices of seeds and fertilizers. Annually, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) announces the prices of seeds and fertilizers under PFJ at the onset of the season. Irrespective of the awareness created, some unscrupulous retailers still sell these inputs more than the stipulated prices. Many hide behind transportation and milk our poor farmers. Already, great steps have been taken for branding fertilizers and seeds for PFJ. Further arrangements should be made for the branding of imported hybrid seeds for easy identification. The supply of these inputs should have a lot of checks to ensure that farmers receive them at the right price.
Merchandising Government Free Chemicals. The alleged corruption at some of the District Agriculture Departments is demoralizing. Allegedly, some of the officers extort money from the farmers before delivering free chemicals from the government to fight the armyworm. Although some of the farmers see it as a token of appreciation, others also question the free nature of the government.
The Waiting Period. The state of our rural economies always puts farmers in need of emergency funds. Hence, the system where buffer stock buys and pay later is not favorable for many farmers. The National Buffer Stock should be well resourced to be in the position to buy with cash in hands. This would serve as a motivation, increase patronage, and boost their confidence level for high production.
Selective Chemical Package. Across the length and breadth of Ghana, weeds control in corn farms is a staid headache for many farmers. This significantly affects their yields since weeds compete with crops for space, nutrients, and sunlight. Aside from educating and skilling farmers on weed control, the provision of selective herbicide can help. A greater number of farmers use a few bottles to cover wider areas than they should, due to the cost involved. A little subsidy on these herbicides can help farmers purchase enough and support local producing companies.
On the side of the country where hunger and unemployment are predominant among the youth, the Planting for Food and Jobs policy should be harnessed to achieve the realization of its objectives to curtail the menace. The policy seems to have a positive effect on the farmers and the stakeholders who are both actively and passively involved, therefore, effort should be put in place to sustain the policy to continue to impact and transform the livelihoods of our farmers. Once we can maintain and develop it, farming would inevitably be enticing for the teeming unemployed youths in the country.
Mr. Michael Zormelo, CEO of Omnifert, a wholly Ghanaian-owned indigenous leading agrochemical industry player, has been adjudged the Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2020 edition of the Ghana Cocoa Awards. The evening also honored Dominic Donkoh, Business Development Manager at Omnifert as the Marketing Personality of the Year.
Mr. Zormelo has led the company to become the leading brand in the fertilizer industry just less than half-decade ago of its establishment with its own fertilizer factory which was officially commissioned by the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last year.
“I am elated to win this award. This indicates that hard work, dedication, and perseverance produce dividends. When we started this journey, we anticipated growth but not as this phenomenal. This goes to show that a team that works together wins together,” Mr. Zormelo said.
He also congratulated Mr. Donkoh for his award and lauded the staff, management, and colleague board members of Omnifert for following the company’s vision despite the challenges faced along the way.
“Our objectives have not changed. Through our state-of-the-art factory we seek to serve not only Ghana, but also the landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger through the provision of high-quality fertilizer at the right time and right price, targeting especially, smallholder and commercial farmers”, he added.
Further, we seek to improve agricultural productivity, incomes, and employment opportunities; establish efficient agriculture industry linkages in the aforementioned countries, and establish commercial farms to supply produce to meet gaps in Ghana’s local yield as well as for export,” he said.
Omnifert, a subsidiary of the Omni Group of Companies, focuses on improving the crop productivity in Africa by providing affordable fertilizers to farmers, establishing commercial-sized farms to produce crops such as cassava, millet, sorghum, maize, soya, etc. to bridge the gaps in the local supply as well as to conduct soil tests on farms so as determining specific fertilizer needs to each farm accurately.
Benefitting from synergies and technological know-how from sister company Omni Energy, he said one of the leading providers of Engineering and Value Added Oilfield Support Services in the Oil and Gas industry, Omnifert has been working to support the transformation of the agro-chemical industry in Ghana to contribute towards sustainable food security.
The Company combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Omnifert’s locally based ultra-modern blending facility is the first of its kind in Ghana. It was established to fulfill the Company’s deep-seated objective to play an important role in improving crop production in Ghana and Africa at large.
Omnifert’s approach is not only about providing affordable and quality fertilizer to farmers but focused on providing the right specifications of fertilizer according to the soil and crop types. By doing this, Omnifert demonstrates its commitment to improving agricultural productivity, incomes, and employment opportunities in Ghana.
