An Agriculture Economist, Professor Irene Egyir, has called for a strategic reorganisation of Ghana’s farming practices to enhance productivity and reduce dependency on food imports.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Professor Egyir emphasised the importance of corporate farming and collaborative efforts among farmers to tackle the challenges facing the agricultural sector in Ghana.
“Elsewhere, it’s about a few people doing things well, not about many farmers not doing things well. Unfortunately, the latter is what we have here in Ghana,” she said on Tuesday.
She highlighted the need for a collective approach where neighbouring farmers coordinate their activities to manage diseases, optimise ploughing schedules, and adapt to climate change together.
“If my one acre is next to my neighbour and we are all thinking alike when diseases come, we all manage it; when we want to plough, we all plough; we all study our calendars well.
“If climate change is the issue, we all understand our concern and we take corporate decisions,” she explained to host, Raymond Acquah.
Professor Egyir pointed out that in countries with successful agricultural sectors, farms are often organised.
“No country I have visited that has good agriculture is doing it the way we are doing it here in Ghana,” she remarked.
She believed Burkina Faso has embraced corporate farming, resulting in improved agricultural outcomes.
The economist warned that without such reforms, Ghana would continue to rely heavily on imports for crops that can be cultivated locally.
You can apply for farm jobs in Canada even if you are not a Canadian resident. Many farm jobs offer free visa sponsorship, making it easier for foreigners to work in Canada. This guide will help you understand the types of farm jobs available, their benefits, and how to apply.
Farm jobs in Canada are open to people from all over the world. If you have farming skills, you can apply for these jobs under various visa programs offered by the Canadian government. Farming is a major part of Canada’s economy and offers many opportunities.
Benefits of Farm Jobs with Visa Sponsorship
Working on a farm in Canada with visa sponsorship offers several benefits:
Free visa sponsorship helps foreign workers enter Canada more easily. The process includes obtaining work permits and visas, which are necessary for legal residency and employment.
Quick Employment
The agriculture sector often needs workers urgently, especially during planting and harvesting seasons. This means you can start working and earning money quickly.
Competitive Salaries
Farm jobs offer competitive salaries. During busy times, such as harvest season, you can earn even more.
Benefits and Housing
Some farm employers provide housing, meals, healthcare, transportation, and access to recreational facilities. These benefits add to your overall compensation.
Practical Knowledge
Working on a farm gives you practical skills in planting, harvesting, livestock care, and crop maintenance.
Opportunities for Advancement
Starting with entry-level jobs, you can advance to higher positions in animal husbandry, crop production, farm management, and agricultural research.
Work-Life Balance
Farm jobs often allow you to live and work in beautiful rural areas, providing a good balance between work and personal life.
Contribution to Food Security
By working in agriculture, you help produce food for local and international markets, contributing to food security and sustainability.
Additional Benefits
Community Engagement
Working on a farm lets you participate in local markets, festivals, and agricultural activities, helping you build connections with other farmers and community members.
Environmental Stewardship
Many farms in Canada focus on sustainable practices, allowing you to contribute to environmental conservation and biodiversity.
How to Apply
To apply for farm jobs in Canada, you need a work permit with visa sponsorship from the employer. Here are three ways to work in agriculture in Canada with free visa sponsorship:
Express Entry with a Job Offer: Apply directly through the Express Entry program with a job offer.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): Get recognized at the provincial level for your skills and apply through PNP.
Job-Specific Work Permit: Apply for a work permit specific to your job offer.
Available Farm Jobs
Laughing Coyote Orchards
Position: Fruit Sorter Tasks: Sorting fruits like berries by size, color, and grade Requirements: Proficient in English, French is a plus Education: High school diploma Salary: $15.20 per hour Accommodation: $30.00 per week Additional Benefits: Relocation support, travel aid, health insurance for the first three months How to Apply: Send an email to laughingcoyoteorchards@gmail.com
Johal Berry Farms
Position: General Farmworker Tasks: Weed management, pesticide spraying, planting, fertilizing, growing, and irrigation of blueberries Requirements: No specific requirements Salary: $15.20 per hour How to Apply: Send your resume to johalberryfarmsjobs@gmail.com or mail to 14318 Neaves Road, Pitt Meadows, BC, Canada
Barasch Farms Ltd
Position: Farmer Tasks: Manage farming operations, oversee agricultural laborers, operate heavy machinery, perform physical labor Requirements: Prior farm experience, full-time, 8-hour workdays How to Apply: Send an email to hf.meyers@icloud.com
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I work on a farm in Canada?
You can find farm labor jobs without any formal training. However, if you want to advance, a diploma or degree in plant sciences, agricultural welding, tree pruning, pesticide application, or farm equipment mechanics is helpful.
This is a tale, not of how far the mighty have fallen, but indeed, of how high the fallen have risen. ‘Kofi Brokeman’, the popular Ghana street food ( snack) made of roasted plantain and groundnuts, has high standards now, at least when it comes to its cost. This has nothing to do with an upgrade in its apparel, demeanor, or taste but rather a change in its economic status.
It must be nice moving from the status of the go-to food for the ‘broke’ man, to living the ‘Ghanaian dream’ or rather the ‘Ghanaian nightmare’. Bread and butter issues have always been a concern, but now, the looming question of “Will it get better?” hangs over our head causing sleepless nights and headaches.
If the average Ghanaian spends about 15 cedis on breakfast only, and then proceeds to spend the same amount on lunch and supper, ultimately, that is a huge expense on just food in a day. Transport has not been included, other expenses have not come in. Even if you make the argument of ‘cook at home,’ there isn’t much difference you’re looking at.
Imagine craving for a snack, making your way to the ‘Kofi Brokeman’ vendor, only to be left shocked that a finger of roasted plantain costs 5 Ghana cedis. A finger! 10 cedis for two, 15 cedis for 3? Scandalous! If you grumble, the famous questions roll off the vendors lips as though they have been sitting there all day, waiting to be asked, “Have you been to the market lately?” or “Do you know the cost of plantain these days?’ All you can do in the moment is heave a sigh, grumble some more and shove your money back in your pocket or painfully add some more to what you initially expected to spend. After buying, you’re left with a bitter taste in your mouth, strong enough to make the meal repulsive because what on earth is this?
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Administration and Control, Prof Moji Adeyeye, has urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days.
Adeyeye warned that cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death.
Adeyeye made this known in a statement on Tuesday signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola.
Adeyeye, who said this in commemoration of the 2024 World Food Safety Day with the theme, ‘Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected’, urged stakeholders in the food supply chain to take deliberate actions to institute a food safety culture in their operations to mitigate food hazards and risks that could compromise food safety.
The World Food Safety Day celebrated annually on June 7 was established by the United Nations General Assembly task force in 2018 to raise awareness and encourage efforts to prevent, detect and address public health risks linked to unsafe food.
The statement partly read, “She however, urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days, warning that cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death.”
Adeyeye remarked that food safety is not only important for public health but a sine qua non for economic development and food security.
She noted that food safety is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone from producers to consumers needs to play their part to ensure food safety.
According to her, the campaign aims to promote global food safety awareness to strengthen efforts of preventing, detecting, and managing foodborne risks globally by highlighting the importance of being prepared for food safety incidents.
“Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’ as we celebrate this year’s World Food Safety Day. Working together, we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness, and preparedness for the unexpected,” she said.
According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 600 million – almost one in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 420,000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years.
WHO said $110bn is lost yearly in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries.
Also, the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Mrs Eva Edwards, alerted that foodborne diseases are expensive, yet they are preventable.
Edwards emphasised the significance of food as a necessity for human life, stressing that it can also be a source of harm if not handled properly.
She stated that food safety emergency response must be anchored on a multisectoral, collaborative, integrated one-health approach across the health, agriculture, and environment sectors, the tiers of government including relevant external partners and non-governmental organisations.
‘’Let’s all play our part in promoting the culture of good hygiene practices in our homes, communities, and food establishments. Together we can ensure a safer and healthier food supply for everyone,” she noted.
The FAO Internship Programme for Africa aims to attract talented young women and men who are strongly motivated to share their new perspectives, innovative ideas, and latest academic experience in FAO’s domains. The Programme provides a learning opportunity to the participants to supplement their academic knowledge with a practical work assignment in a field related to the work of FAO.
Through the FAO internship programme for Africa experience, interns will contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and FAO’s Strategic Framework to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Reporting Lines
The intern will report to an assigned supervisor.
Technical Focus
The intern will be assigned to different fields of work according to his/her profile and to the needs of the Organization.
Tasks and responsibilities
The intern will perform the functions specified in the Terms of Reference (TOR) prepared by the hiring office.
Minimum Requirements
• Enrolled in an under-graduate, graduate degree programme in a “bona fide” educational institution at the time of application or recent graduate. Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. • Candidates must specialize in a field relevant to the mission and work of FAO. • Working knowledge of at least one FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish). Knowledge of a second FAO language will be considered an asset. • Be nationals of FAO Members. • Candidates should be aged between 21 and 30. • Candidates should be able to adapt to an international multicultural environment and have good communication skills.
Technical/Functional Skills
Relevant academic studies in one of the fields of the Organization
Additional Information
• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing). • All applications will be reviewed, and only qualified applicants will be directly contacted for interviews by the hiring office and contacted again, if selected. • Candidates who have already undertaken an internship assignment at FAO will not be eligible for another internship. • Selected candidates should have appropriate residence or immigration status in the proposed country of assignment prior to joining the Organization. • Candidates with family members (defined as mother, father, sister, or brother) employed by FAO under any type of contractual arrangement are not eligible for the Internship Programme. • FAO provides a monthly stipend to interns if they are not sponsored by sending universities or other entities.
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa works to improve agriculture in Africa. They help small farmers grow more food and improve their lives. AGRA offers job opportunities for people who want to make a difference in agriculture. In this guide, we will look at the open jobs at AGRA and how to apply.
Benefits of Working at AGRA
Working at this organization offers many advantages. One of the main benefits is the chance to make a real difference in the lives of smallholder farmers in Africa. You will be part of a team that is working to transform agriculture and improve food security on the continent. This can be very rewarding and fulfilling work.
Another benefit is the opportunity for professional growth. Employees have access to training programs and workshops that help them develop new skills and advance in their careers. The organization values continuous learning and provides resources for personal and professional development.
The work environment is also very supportive and collaborative. Colleagues often work together on projects, sharing ideas and expertise. This teamwork can lead to innovative solutions and successful outcomes. It’s a great place to learn from others and contribute your own knowledge.
Employees also enjoy competitive salaries and benefits packages. These include health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. The organization understands the importance of work-life balance and provides flexibility to help employees manage their personal and professional lives.
Lastly, working here means being part of a global network. You will have the chance to connect with experts and partners from around the world, expanding your professional network and gaining international experience.
Open Jobs at AGRA
AGRA has several job openings as of June 13, 2024. You can find these jobs on their official careers website.
Job Title
Location
Application Deadline
Job Description
Program Officer
Nairobi, Kenya
June 30, 2024
Work on agricultural projects, support small farmers, and ensure successful project implementation.
Communications Manager
Accra, Ghana
July 5, 2024
Develop communication strategies, manage public relations, and oversee social media.
Financial Analyst
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
July 10, 2024
Analyze financial data, prepare reports, and assist with budgeting.
Agronomist
Kigali, Rwanda
July 15, 2024
Provide technical advice to farmers, conduct field trials, and promote sustainable farming practices.
IT Support Specialist
Lusaka, Zambia
July 20, 2024
Maintain IT systems, provide technical support, and ensure data securit
List of positions at AGRA at the various countries.
How to Apply for a Job at AGRA
Step 1: Research AGRA
Before you apply, learn about AGRA. Visit their website at www.agra.org. Understand their mission, values, and projects. This will help you align your application with their goals.
Go to the AGRA careers page. Look for the “opportunities” section. Here, you will find detailed job descriptions, requirements, and deadlines. Read everything carefully.
Step 3: Assess Your Qualifications
Look at the job requirements. See if your skills and experience match what AGRA needs. Highlight your relevant experience, education, and any certifications. This will show AGRA that you are a good fit for the job.
Step 4: Prepare Your Application
Prepare your resume and cover letter. Your resume should have your contact information, work history, education, and relevant achievements. The cover letter should explain why you want to work at AGRA and how your skills match their needs. Be specific and concise.
Step 5: Submit Your Application
Follow the instructions in the job posting. Usually, you will need to email your resume and cover letter to recruit@agra.org. Make sure you send your application before the deadline.
Tips for a Successful Application
Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter: Customize your documents for each job. Show how your experience and skills are perfect for the position.
Be Clear and Concise: Use simple language and short sentences. Make it easy for the hiring team to understand your qualifications.
Show Your Passion: Explain why you are excited about the job and AGRA’s mission. Your enthusiasm can make a difference.
Check for Errors: Proofread your application. Make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has said he faced significant financial challenges when he assumed office in January 2017.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Aidoo said although the previous administration secured an amount of $1.8 billion in 2016, by January 2017 no money was left when he took charge of Cocobod.
According to him, the money was spent on buying cocoa and other operational costs incurred.
“They bought about 600,000 metric tonnes before we came in. With cocoa, the peak harvest period is October, November, December, and January. So within the first quarter of the season, from October to December 2016, the previous administration bought over 600,000 metric tonnes.
“When we assumed office, there was no money, meanwhile, we had to buy cocoa till the end of the season from January to September,”he said.
Upon assuming office, Mr Aidoo said Cocobod faced the daunting task of continuing cocoa purchases without any funds available.
He said the best option was for Cocobod to seek assistance from the Bank of Ghana.
“We were forced to go to the Bank of Ghana to borrow. Within that period, we bought over 300,000 metric tonnes and we had to pay the farmers, we had to pay for haulage, the buyer’s margin, and operational costs.
“We sought help from the Bank of Ghana who became an intermediary between the Board and the consolidated banks and we got over GH₵2 billion,”he explained.
Ghana’s cocoa has been ravaged by adverse weather, bean disease and illegal gold mining, which often displaces cocoa farms.
Ghanian farmers are also smuggling more beans to neighbouring countries to sell them at higher prices than the state purchasing price, further eroding what little crop is available for delivery in Ghana.
According to reports, the world’s second largest cocoa producer is looking to delay delivery of up to 350,000 tons of beans to next season due to poor crops.
Chocolate makers around the world are raising prices for consumers after cocoa more than doubled in value this year alone following a third year of poor harvests in Ghana and Ivory Coast, responsible for 60% of global production.
If your favourite cocoa product is now scarce on the market or you are buying it at a higher price, then this is the reason.
Cocoa processing companies in Ghana have had their operations strained due to a decreased supply of cocoa beans resulting from recent low cocoa production and the increase in the price of the commodity on the international market.
The situation has forced many local cocoa processing firms to alter their way of doing business to minimise expenses as they contend with squeezed profit margins.
Citi Business News has gathered that there is a looming crisis in the cocoa processing industry and many of the local cocoa processing companies in the country have been hit by the low yields.
They are no longer getting the quantity of cocoa beans needed to meet their respective operational capacities. This limited availability of cocoa beans has forced a number of them to reduce production levels.
This has resulted in the underutilization of machinery, leading to inefficiencies and higher per-unit costs.
Some of them have had their processing schedules disrupted as they struggle to maintain steady operations.
Citi Business News has learnt that confectionery items like chocolates, spreads, and pebbles produced by the Cocoa Processing Companies have experienced an all-time decline of 30 per cent due to their inability to raise revenue to increase the processing of cocoa beans.
In terms of production, processed cocoa beans fell by 50 percent, with the production of cocoa liquor, butter, and powder dropping from 3,000 to 1,400 metric tonnes.
This is happening at a time when the company has already recorded a US$ 6 million loss in the first quarter of 2024.
The decline in cocoa production in the country has largely been blamed on the devastating effects of illegal mining, poor weather conditions, and the swollen shoot disease.
Some farmers are exchanging large acres of cocoa farms for as low as GHS 50,000. Additionally, the smuggling of cocoa to neighbouring countries is another major challenge.
Ghana’s cocoa output for the 2023/24 season is expected to be almost 40% below a target of 820,000 metric tonnes when global cocoa prices hit US$ 10,000 per tonne this year.
In the first four months of 2024, Ghana’s trade balance narrowed after cocoa exports dropped. On a year-on-year comparison, cocoa output fell by about 50%.
Chocolate lovers in Ghana, for example, are now feeling the crunch as prices skyrocket. They are now paying more than GHS20 cedis for a 100g bar of Kingsbite chocolate, up from the GHS 14 it was selling for a few months ago.
The upward price adjustments could be a way for the Cocoa Processing Company to raise revenue and turn things around.
Consumers might be shifting to cheaper alternatives, but the reality is that the sales volumes of other businesses may not be meeting demand.
Other cocoa processing companies, such as Niche, Chocomac, and Cargill, are facing different levels of operational bottlenecks due to the scarcity of cocoa beans, according to Citi Business News sources.
Should this situation persist, it may lead to massive job losses and a likely shutdown of some of these cocoa processing companies.
Mr Kwamena Quaison, Director, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) has lauded Kasapreko and Despite Group for collaborating with the research institutions.
He commended these giants companies at the opening of the Matchmaking and Information Sharing Workshop in Koforidua.
Speaking on behalf of Madam Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Minister of MESTI, he said Technology Transfer and commercialisation of Research had been a major policy concern for the government of Ghana.
He commended the research collaborations between the Kasapreko and the Centre for Plant Medicine and that of Despite Group of Companies’ with the Food Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
“Today, the alomo bitters of Kasapreko and Neat fufu of Despite have created lots of jobs and supported economic growth of the Ghanaian economy. It is our hope that more Kasaprekos and Despites will emerge from this matchmaking,” he said.
To improve research and make it easy accessible to entrepreneurs, he said the sector Minister had tasked the Science, Technology and Innovation Directorate of the Ministry to find an innovative solution to the weak research – industry collaboration and ensure that research outputs from research institutions are made available to entrepreneurs to create the needed jobs to support economic growth.
He acknowledged the significant roles played by universities and research institutes all over the world in the creation of new businesses, adding that the Ministry would accelerate that culture in Ghana.
Illegal mining, climate issues, diseases, and smuggling activities compelled export revenue of cocoa to fall by more than $500 million in the first quarter of 2024 as Ghana’s annual production numbers continue to tumble.
The drop, reported in the Bank of Ghana’s Summary of Macroeconomic and Financial Data for May 2024, comes at a time when the cedi is struggling against major trading currencies, having lost more than 20% of its value against the dollar since the beginning of the year.
The Bank of Ghana data revealed that cocoa export revenue experienced a significant decline, dropping from over $1 billion in the first quarter of last year to approximately $496 million this year. This marks the lowest level in nearly nine years.
According to a Bloomberg report, “the currency of the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer depreciated 0.2% to 14.9335 per dollar by the close of trading in Accra [yesterday], the lowest level since at least 1994 when Bloomberg began compiling the data.”
The report also indicated that the current free fall of the cedi against the American greenback makes it “the fourth-worst performer among roughly 150 currencies tracked by Bloomberg worldwide, after the Egyptian Pound, Nigerian Naira and the Lebanese Pound.”
Cocoa on a decline, cedi struggles
Cocoa is a strategic commodity in Ghana and has been the backbone of its economy since the colonial period. In essence, when cocoa “coughs,” the Ghanaian economy catches a cold, especially its local currency, the cedi. In fact, Ghana’s smaller cocoa harvest in the 2023/24 season has hit the country’s external payments position, as its trade surplus fell by more than half in the first two months, posing a risk to the exchange strength of the cedi, which has lost more than 20% against the US dollar.
The industry regulator, Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), is aware that smuggling is significantly reducing its share of global cocoa production, which has dropped from 20% to 13%. The upcoming crop season looks challenging for Ghana, as illegal mining activities continue to threaten its projected yields. The sale of cocoa farmland to illegal miners, coupled with the pollution and destruction of water bodies and lands, jeopardizes Ghana’s cocoa yield for the 2024-25 season, which could fall below 400,000 tons.
For COCOBOD to secure its next cocoa syndicated loan, it needs to assure investors that it can guarantee the production of beans to match the target loan figure of $1.5 billion. Already, the regulator’s target for this year was truncated from $1.2 billion to $800 million, for which it was able to provide beans for only $600 million—the remaining $200 million was canceled as COCOBOD could not provide beans to back it.
For Ghana to obtain more than it was able to gather this year from the syndication exercise, it needs to prove to investors that it can produce more beans in the next season. Ensuring the necessary bean production will be difficult, and one reliable way to prevent the smuggling of an additional 200,000 tons next season is to increase the farm gate price. However, this would impose a significant fiscal constraint on COCOBOD, which is already struggling to service its current debt obligations.
