Below are some current developments on Agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues
Non-traditional Exports: Ghana Faces EU Ban
The European Union (EU) has threatened to ban a number of non-traditional exports (NTEs) from Ghana because they contain poisonous chemicals, including aflatoxins. The EU issued a number of food safety alerts (threats to ban) to the Ministry of Trade and Industry last year against products such as peanut butter (groundnut paste), agushi and maize meals, such as banku mix, for containing aflatoxin, which causes cancer… Any ban is likely to throw off gear government’s annual revenue target of $5 billion from the export of non-traditional products within the next five years, under the Ghana National Strategy for the non-traditional export sector.
20 Farmers, Agric Officers on Study Tour of Australia
Twenty farmers and agricultural extension officers have been sponsored by the Australian Government to study in Australia for two weeks. The study tour, which cost Aus$2 million, forms part of a two-year Australian Government support programme for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). Specifically, it is aimed at strengthening agricultural extension services and selected farmer-based organizations (FBOs) to improve extension and advisory services to farmers and other participants in the agricultural value chain. Australian High Commissioner in Accra, Ms. Joanna Adamson, explained that the initiative was part of the Australian Government’s commitment to assisting MoFA and Ghanaian farmers to increase their produce.
Agricultural Technologies Can Increase Global Crop Yields
Increased demand for food due to population and income growth and the impacts of climate change on agriculture will ratchet up the pressure for increased and more sustainable agricultural production to feed the planet. A new report by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) measures the impacts of agricultural innovation on farm productivity, prices, hunger, and trade flows as we approach 2050 and identifies practices which could significantly benefit developing nations. The book titled, "Food Security in a World of Natural Resource Scarcity: The Role of Agricultural Technologies", which was made available to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday by Sarah Immenschuh Brawner IFPRI Communications Specialist.
WFP Purchased US$ 22 Million Worth Foodstuff in Ghana between 2008 and 2012
The World Food Programme (WFP) purchased US$ 22 Million worth of food in Ghana between 2008 and 2012 from food suppliers and farmers. The food items mainly bought through traditional large competitive tendering, consisted of maize, iodized salt, beans and local rice, Ms Magdalena Owusu Moshi, Deputy Country Director said on Wednesday in Sunyani… The two-day workshop, on the theme “Reviewing the Performance of P4P Implementation – Achievements, Challenges and the Way-forward,” was attended by 60 participants from 16 and 10 FBOs in Ashanti and Northern Regions respectively. Its objective was to allow WFP’s P4P and associated partners to collectively review progress to date, and to discuss key lessons learnt during the second year of its implementation in Ghana.
Cocoa Smuggling Rises as Cedi Falls - Amoo-Gottfried
The Managing Director of Cargill Ghana Ltd Kojo Amoo-Gottfried has hinted that the rate at which the cedi is depreciating against other foreign currencies is becoming a threat to Ghana’s cocoa sector as more people are smuggling cocoa beans to neighboring Ivory Coast. As of November last year, the cedi had lost 17 percent to the US dollar on the forex market, compared to 16.2 percent depreciation by the South African rand... According to Mr. Amoo- Gottfried, THE Ivorian CEFA is more stable because it is linked to the euro, so people smuggle cocoa from Ghana to Ivory Coast to ensure that got value for their money.
Food Sovereignty Ghana Opposes Plant Breeders Bill
Food sovereignty Ghana, a grass-root movement dedicated to the promotion of food sovereignty in Ghana, has called for the repeal of the Plant Breeders Bill, as it marks the beginning of the hijack of food and agriculture. A statement signed by Mr. Duke Tagoe, Deputy Chairman, Food Sovereignty Ghana, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, stated that the Bill as it stands, contains clauses that have serious implications on our sovereignty as a people. The statement explained that these serious implications include unacceptable limitations on the policy space it leaves for the state to regulate the activities of plant breeders with reference to measures in protecting public health and the natural environment.
Fish Farms to Produce nearly Two-thirds of Global Food
Aquaculture, or fish farming will provide close to two thirds of global food consumption by 2030, as catches from wild capture fisheries level of and demand from an emerging global middle class substantially increases. These are among key findings of "Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture," a collaboration between the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), released on Wednesday.
Sky Platform Introduce New Organic Fertilizer in Ghana
An organic fertilizer was on Wednesday launched in Accra to ensure food security, good health, and safe environment and usher Ghana into a second green revolution. The introduction of the fertilizer on the Ghanaian market is to complement the effort of government and other players in the Agriculture sector in ensuring food security within sustainable limits. The Organic fertilizer or manure are totally bio available and are capable of supplying all major micro-nutrient in readily absorbable form for all agriculture crops with lower dosage. The launch was made possible by Sky Platform limited, in partnership with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the Small Grants Programme, the UNDP Ghana and Prathista of India.
Agriculture Campaign Targets 85m in Africa
A campaign to help lift 85 million Africans out of poverty through targeted investment in agriculture has been launched in Ethiopia. The "Do Agric, It Pays" project spearheaded by advocacy organization ONE Campaign, is calling for African governments to commit to spending at least 10 per cent of national budgets on effective agriculture investments, through transparent and accountable budgets. At the heart of the Do Agric campaign is an effort to push political leaders to adopt better policies that will boost productivity, increase incomes and help lift millions of Africans out of extreme poverty.
Ndaana Ghana Limited to Help Boost Agriculture in Northern Ghana
Ndaana Ghana Limited is to help boost agriculture in northern Ghana through the Food Security and Environment Facility (FSEF) project under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA. The project which spans three years with a financing figure of Ghc752,000 will focus on soil and water conservation integrated with crop and livestock production for rural women in Zang, Tibane, Zanguosi and Zanbogu all in the Nadowli /Kaleo District of the Upper West Region which falls in the priority areas of the Northern Savannah Accelerated Development Initiative (NSDI).
Israel’s Agric Minister To Visit Ghana
Israel’s Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Mr. Yair Shamir, will pay an official visit to Ghana from the 2nd to the 4th of March 2014. Ghana is the second call in Minister Shamir’s African tour, following a visit to Nigeria. From Ghana Hon. Shamir will continue to Ethiopia. Minister Shamir will be accompanied by a business delegation, representing some of Israel’s leading companies in the agriculture sector – irrigation, poultry, fisheries, agrochemicals and large scale agric projects integrators – to be featured in a business seminar and B2B meetings.
Prioritize Agricultural Transformation in Africa
The special meeting of the Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Agriculture and Local Government and Development Working Group Leaders on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) National Agriculture Investment Plans (NAIPs), on Country Post-Compact and Investment Plans Implementation, has opened, at the African Union Commission Headquarters with a call for African leaders to place agricultural transformation at the top of their agendas. Officially opening the three day meeting, Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture, H.E Ato Tefera Derbew, said that without a successful agricultural transformation, it would be difficult to sustain agricultural growth.
There is Room for Improvement Says Deputy Agric Minister
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, has noted that the rise in yields associated with the introduction of new seeds has proven to be short-lived and, further, national average yields have remained substantially below potential yield levels. He ascribed several reasons for this yield gap – among which are inadequate supply of certified seeds, so that farmers do not have reliable access to improved seeds…Dr. Alhassan said these yesterday when he officially opened a two-day stakeholder workshop on a scaling seeds and technology platform that brought together over 150 stakeholders from government, Ministries and Agencies, NGOs, Research Institutions, international development organizations, and some universities.
India Becomes First Country to Have Agroforestry Policy
India has announced a US30–40 million investment in its first-ever national agroforestry policy designed to put more trees back on farms to benefit the people and the environment. The announcement was made by Rita Sharma, India’s Secretary of the National Advisory Council that helped develop the policy…Dr. S Ayyappan, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research says the policy will mainstream agroforestry into agricultural policies, promote agroforestry as a farming system and will encourage participation of industries in agroforestry.
Fishermen 'Catch' Cow at Sea
Fishermen at Chorkor, a fishing community in Accra, cast their net for a catch Wednesday morning only to drag a huge brown bull to shore. That incident caused a stir in the community, as children, market women and people from all walks of life trooped to the beach to catch a glimpse of the mysterious bull caught at sea. The huge brown bull with large horns appeared healthy when it was caught and occasionally ‘mooed,’ much to the surprise of onlookers who could not keep their distance away from the ‘wonder bull’. That brings to two the number of animals with land habitation caught at sea by fishermen this year.
Reports/Articles
Comparative Economic Analysis of Groundnut Oil and Soya Milk Production in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana
S Zuberu, E Mumuni, IA Napodow, S Dittoh, OI Oladele - 2013
This paper examined a comparative economic analysis of groundnut oil and soya milk production in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region. Purposive sampling, Stratified random sampling and Snowball were the techniques used for data collection. The data collected was subjected to descriptive analysis with the use of pie charts, bar charts and frequency distribution tables with a sample size of 70 respondents for groundnut oil processors and soya milk producers. The study revealed that a groundnut processor requires an average investment cost of GH¢ 487.74 whiles a soya milk producer may incur an estimated cost of GH¢ 423.2, with a weekly cost of GH¢ 350.57 and GH¢ 88.8 for groundnut and soya milk processing respectively…
Dynamic Linkages between Food Price Fluctuations and Exchange Rates: Evidence from Ghana
DA Kanyam - International Journal of Economic Practices and …, 2014
Food prices have been fluctuating wildly over the last four years, hurting both consumers and producers (Ghanem, 2011). It is arguably, one of the fundamental elements that undermine the prospects of developing countries for economic growth, development and poverty reduction, and has predominantly become an issue of global concern, causing real problems in many countries. Policy makers, governments and market actors are concerned, as evidenced by Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s decision to prioritize food price volatility at the G-201 agenda in 2011 under his chairmanship. Extreme and persistent food price fluctuations come at a cost, since governments, policy makers and market actors will have difficulty planning ahead and adjusting to the fluctuating market signals.
Shea butter and its Processing Impacts on the Environment in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana
MB Jibreel, E Mumuni, S Al-Hassan, NM Baba - International Journal, 2013
Shea tree is an indigenous and exclusive asset in West and Central Africa and particularly wide spread in the Northern part of Ghana. This study examined the effects of shea butter processing on the environment in the Tamale Metropolis and also analyzes the efficiency of resources used in shea butter processing for improved and traditional method of processing. Interviews, focus group discussions and field observation were used for the study with 126 respondents. Analytical tools used include descriptive statistics comprising charts; tables and frequency distribution with the use of SPPSS for the data analysis. The findings are that the semi-mechanized method is more suitable in terms of less and efficient resource maximization than the traditional method. The disposed slur inhibits plant growth and contributes to changing the soil structure…
Turning Waste into Value: Using Human Urine to Enrich Soils for Sustainable Food Production in Uganda
E Andersson - Journal of Cleaner Production, 2014
This article builds on an action research process involving Ugandan smallholder farmers in collaborative experimentation on the use of human urine as a crop fertilizer. The aim is to explore farmers’ perceptions and evaluation of the practice as a potential and partial solution to soil productivity problems. Findings show that urine fertilization is valued as a low-cost and low-risk practice contributing to significant yield increases, suggesting important contributions to food security and income, especially for those who have few options in soil nutrient management. Weaknesses identified by farmers relate mainly to limitations in collection and storage capacity rather than to inherent traits of the practice…
Closing the Gender Asset Gap
AR Quisumbing, D Rubin, C Manfre, E Waithanji… - 2014
Strengthening the abilities of smallholder farmers in developing countries, particularly women farmers, to produce for both home and the market is currently a development priority. Although value chain analysis has increasingly incorporated gender issues, the intersection between women’s asset endowments and their participation in market-oriented agriculture receives minimal attention. This paper explores initial findings from four case studies in the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project on changes in gender relations in different agricultural interventions. It documents the adaptive measures projects are taking to encourage gender-equitable value chain projects. Findings suggest that the dairy and horticulture value chain cases have successfully increased the stock of both men’s and women’s tangible assets and those assets they own jointly. The projects have also increased social and human capital, particularly for women.
Can Farmers Receive their Expected Seasonal Tomato Price in Ghana? A Probit Regression Analysis
C Attoh, E Martey, GTM Kwadzo, PM Etwire, AN Wiredu - Sustainable Agriculture …, 2014
Tomato price is an important indicator for farmers to continue producing the crop in Ghana. There are sometimes alleged reports that farmers tend to commit suicide when they are unable to meet their expected tomato price and thereby unable to recover their cost of production. However, data available indicate that the domestic production of fresh tomato is on the decline. The paper therefore, assesses the factors that affect whether or not farmers can receive their expected tomato price. A multistaged sample survey of 215 farmers across three regions was subjected to the binomial probit model. Results indicate that for farmers to receive their expected price, they have to adapt to produce the crop in the drier seasons, where tomato shortage can be observed…
Urban Agriculture and Pesticide Overdose: A Case Study of Vegetable Production at Dzorwulu-Accra
I Yeboah - 2013
Urban Agriculture is crucial to the supply of food especially fresh vegetables in many urban areas including Accra. In addition to the supply of food, it serves as a source of employment and income for many urban dwellers. However, most urban farmers resort to the use of pesticides in controlling the pest pressures they face… The use of chemical pesticides was found to be the sole means by which the farmers controlled pest. The farmers feel spraying with chemicals is not only effective, it is also the only viable option available to them at the moment. Even though they are aware of other pest control strategies such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), they lacked in-depth knowledge about the principles of IPM and hence employ it to control pests…