Below are some current developments on Agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural issues
Farmers must Add Value to Products
The Deputy General Secretary of General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU), Edward Kareweh is calling on Ghanaian farmers to concentrate on adding value to their products for domestic use rather than exporting. His call comes on the back of an European Union (EU) temporary ban on exports of vegetables from Ghana to their region. The ban was put in place after EU authorities identified some vegetables from Ghana which did not meet their quality standards. This is not the first time Ghanaian farmers and exporters have had to face this setback having failed to meet set benchmarks. Some months ago, mangoes from Ghana was also banned because of fly infestation.
Lack of Agriculture Extension Agents Affecting Farming
Lack of adequate agriculture extension agents in the Upper Manya-Krobo District is hampering agriculture in the District as the main occupation of the people is farming. The GNA Media Auditing and Development Tracking Project Team, sponsored by STAR-Ghana, has gathered that with a population of over 29,000 farmers, the district could boost of only a little over 26 Extension Agents with a ratio of 1,115 farmers per an extension officer. The few Agriculture Extension Agents operating in the district are also seriously handicapped. They have no access to motorbikes to be able to visit nearby communities. This is affecting the farmers who are not getting the technical knowledge and directions in agriculture as expected and this sometimes result in poor yield.
Cocoa Exports to US Triple Under AGOA
Cocoa and cashew exports from Ghana to the US went up by 300 percent within a period of 13 years under the AGOA initiative. The AGOA initiative has been running for 14 years following its inception in 2000. It is one of the main topics under discussion at the ongoing US-Africa leaders’ summit in Washington. The United States this week officially launched the campaign for the renewal of AGOA. Early on President Obama said he was optimistic congress will renew the initiative. Figures on exactly how much cocoa and cashew nuts Ghana was exporting to the US before the AGOA initiative have not been made available. However speaking at the 2014 U.S. Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Washington Secretary of State for the US John Kerry said imports of cocoa and cashew from Ghana have increased by 300 percent ….
Agric Sector Benefited the Most Under MCC Compact 1- Mahama
Ghana’s agric sector benefited the most under the Millennium Challenge Compact 1,this is according to President John Mahama. ‘The first compact, by all measures, brought a transformational change in the agricultural landscape of Ghana. It also represented a refreshingly new strategy for the transformation of agriculture in Ghana. ’Under the first compact thousands of farmers were provided with agricultural credit worth $23.1 million. According to President Mahama ‘the achievements and success of the first compact includes 66,930 farmer received training in commercial agricultural practices, enhancing their productivity and skills. Four irrigation schemes were rehabilitated, providing irrigation to 2,435 hectares of agricultural farmlands. Twenty post-harvest facilities were constructed, providing storage so crops would not get spoiled in…
NASA to Assist Ghana’s Smallholder Farmers
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has started a dialogue with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to access data from their over-200 satellites that hover around the earth to provide critical information for smallholder farmers in Africa. The ground-breaking process has already begun, with the first meeting taking place in Accra recently led by Molly E. Brown, a research scientist and geographer with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in the United States, and Dr. Kwasi Ampofo, AGRA’S Country Head in Ghana…. “You can use this information to view trends — for instance, how this growing season is developing compared to let’s say 30 years ago, since the satellites collect data daily over places like Ghana and Kenya and other regions of the world.”
Set Up Monitoring Team to Supervise Free Fertilizer Distribution - Chief Farmer
Mr. Daniel Agyei, Society Chief Farmer at Amponsaso in the Mpohor Wassa East District, has appealed to government to set up a monitoring team that would supervise the distribution of free fertilizers to cocoa farmers, to check diversion and stealing. He said the government free-fertilizer programme was a laudable effort, and therefore warned against but alleged diversion by some distributors into individual shops for sale to the public. Mr. Agyei made the appealed at a meeting with some society chief farmers drawn from Twifo Praso,Twifo Hemang, Assin Foso and Amponsaso at Efutu in the Cape Coast Municipality. He suggested that conditions for the distribution of the fertilizers should be made favourable to peasant cocoa farmer whose cocoa farms were not up to five acres.
CSIR Pushes for Commercialisation of its Agricultural Technologies
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is pushing for greater commercialisation for its agricultural products and technologies, to impact on production levels of farmers and agro processors in the country and beyond. To fulfill this, the CSIR would be partnering the private sector to ensure that all the technologies developed by research scientists come to good use and is more accessible to many people. Speaking at the Open day of the Crop Research Institute (CRI) of CSIR at Fumesua in Ashanti Region, Dr Abdulai Baba Salifu, Director-General of the Council noted that Ghanaian food crops are comparable to global brands, especially grain quality. He explained that some agro industries are using the improved varieties as raw materials for processing and debunked the notion that CSIR’s research findings are gathering…
IITA Progresses on Weeds Control Programme for Cassava
Dr Alfred Dixon, Leader for the Sustainable Weed Management Technologies for Cassava Systems Project in Nigeria, has said solutions on weed control in cassava farms are underway following efforts between the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). IITA is one of the world's leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Its award-winning research for development (R4D) addresses the development needs of tropical countries. Under the cassava weed management project, Dr Dixon and his team are conducting research that will develop new best bet innovative weed management practices, combining improved varieties, proper planting dates, plant populations, and plant nutrition, all coupled to intercropping and tillage options, through well-focused trials in the three agro-ecologies where….
Cassava Potential Underutilised
Ghana is the 6th largest producer of cassava in the world in terms of value, and the commodity constitutes 22 percent of the country’s agricultural GDP. Cassava is one of Ghana’s main staple crops, which is consumed in all parts of the ten administrative regions -- having an annual production above 10 million metric tonnes over the last decade. However, available data shows that up to 34 percent of cassava produced in Ghana is lost along the value chain. Cassava is an important commodity for Ghana’s food security and it is therefore not surprising to note that Ghana’s Agricultural Policy, the Food and Agricultural Development Policy (FADEPII), gives particular attention to development of the cassava sector and intensification of industrial processing to increase value addition.
Bags2Bulk Project Will Enhance Zambia's Food Security Through Improved Grain Storage ...
Bags2Bulk Project Will Enhance Zambia's Food Security Through Improved Grain Storage and Reduced Post-Harvest Losses. With 80% of Zambia's maize produced by smallholder farmers, there is significant demand for improved grain storage facilities. AGCO (Your Agriculture Company, NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, has launched a partnership with Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation (a US Agency for International Development-funded program) to reduce post-maize harvest losses and improve grain handling in Zambia. The new Bags2Bulk project will see AGCO and it partners, GSI Africa, Musika and Ybema Grain Services, introduce and sell 40 metal storage silos at grain trader level benefitting 12,000 smallholder farmers.
Upper East Region Reduces Charcoal Burning
The indiscriminate cutting down of trees for charcoal burning is gradually reducing in Upper East Region, Mr Asher Nkegbe, Regional Director of Environmental Protection Agency, has disclosed.Speaking to Ghana News Agency in an interview at the weekend, he said this was made possible through the Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP) which is aimed at restoring the degrading environment in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions as well as offering alternative livelihoods to the people. He said 1,639 women from nine districts in the Upper East Region where GEMP is operational have been trained in Shea butter, soap, pomade and cake production as well as mushroom farming. Mr Nkegbe said the provision of these alternative livelihoods, has helped to reduce charcoal burning activities.
African Journalists Attend Session on UN Climate Summit
Journalists from Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Nigeria have participated in an hour-long online press briefing to discuss Climate Change and the upcoming UN Climate Summit in New York. The summit is being convened by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon to mobilize action ahead of 2015 when countries hope to make strong global commitment and to increase political will for greater action and ambition…They explained that the essence of the Summit was to prepare journalists in Africa on what they could do to create awareness on the impact of climate change…According to Dan Thomas, “Climate Change is not only about the environment but it is also about economic and social issues. By asking the right questions and reporting on the common man, [journalists] can build support for climate change actions.”
Workshop on Agro-chemicals Crucial -Chief farmer
A Chief Farmer has suggested to agriculture extension workers to organize periodic workshops on the correct application of agro-chemicals for farmers, to ensure the safety of consumers. Nana Debrah Amanor, a prominent cocoa and other cash crop farmer in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern Region, made the suggestion at a meeting of both cocoa and cash crop farmers at Nfranor. He said in recent times, consumers of vegetables, especially garden eggs form the Suhum, Akorabo, Anum Apapam and Amanase major markets in the municipality have complained about a sour taste in the vegetables on sale in the market centres. He said it is believed that the sour vegetables were allegedly contaminated with agro-chemicals, which were not accurately measured before their application.
Drought Tolerant Crop Varieties to be Released
The Savannah Agricultural Research Institute at Manga in the Upper East Region, in collaboration with Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR) would, in September, release draught tolerant pearl one millet genotype, known locally as late millet for adoption by farmers. The varieties are Arrow, Bongo Short head, bristle millet, Tongo yellow and sox stat. Drought tolerant varieties, they perform well under harsh climatic conditions and would be suitable for farmers in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions. Dr Roger Kanton, Principal Research Scientist and Agronomist of SARI, said this when he addressed farmers on agricultural production constraints in Bolgatanga on Wednesday during a workshop on Climate Change. He said lowland rice genotype was also in the pipeline and would soon be released to farmers.
Reports/Articles
Gender Constraints and Rice Varietal Characteristics Preferences in Lowland Rice Ecosystem in Ghana
M Addison, SE Edusah, P Sarfo-Mensah - Developing Country Studies, 2014
This study examined the constraints and differences in varietal preferences for male and female rice farmers in lowland rice ecosystem in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Successful development interventions such as dissemination of improved rice varieties are, by their nature, transformative but paying attention to gender constraints and varietal preferences will always make them more effective. Yet, these issues are not adequately documented and analyzed in adoption studies. A total sample size of seventy (70) rice farmers was randomly selected for an in-depth individual interview, using structured questionnaires. Analytical tools used were mainly descriptive and statistical methods. The results indicate that gender constraints are influenced by gender roles. The male constraints are lack of credit to expand cultivation, land preparation…
Perceived Competencies of Agriculture Extension Workers in Extension Services Delivery in Northern Region of Ghana, Perspective from Literature
A Issahaku - Developing Country Studies, 2014
This study is an exploration of literature on perceived competencies of workers in the agriculture industry. Extensive literature is reviewed on the topic and related to the need of people in the agriculture sector in northern region of Ghana to help facilitate increased production of agriculture produce. The study sought to identify the current level of competencies possess by extension workers in the northern region and which level of these competencies are used. Finding of other authors has been reviewed and compared to the current level of competencies possessed by extension workers. The importance of competencies are revealed as found by researchers in the field of competencies. A comparison of the literature to the Ghanaian situation is attempted, demonstration of made on how competencies can help facilitate the work of…
Perceptions on the Impact of METASIP on Food Security in Ghana
JK Boateng, CKK Nyaaba - Developing Country Studies, 2014
The study assessed perceptions relating to the impact of Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP) on food security in Ghana. Specifically, the study monitored perceptions about how far the first pillar of FASDEP II which addresses food security and emergency preparedness has actually contributed to food security in Ghana. Seven indicators were identified and perceptions about these were monitored. They are improved productivity, agriculture mechanization, irrigation and water management, food storage and distribution, improved nutrition, off-farm activities and early warning systems. Findings indicated that, METASIP must do more to guide and sustain its success. More efforts must be put in for improved production, mechanization, irrigation and water management and enhanced off-farm activities by actively…
Comparison of the Profitability of Groundnut Production In West Mamprusi and Bunkpurugu-Yuyoo Districts In Northern Ghana
JA Akolgo, GT Kwadzo, DPK Amegashie
The study compared the profitability of groundnut production between Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and West-Mamprusi districts in Northern Ghana. A Cobb -Douglas production function and gross income analysis were used in the analysis to determine the effect of “VAPAP” project on the profits of farmers in the two districts. It revealed that land size, capital, labour, experience and gender significantly influenced the output of groundnuts in the study area. The mean output per acre in Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo was 456.86kg of unshelled groundnuts whilst West-Mamprusi was 412.98kg with a mean difference of 43.89kg higher output in Bunkpurugu than West-Mamprusi at 1% significance level. A mean amount of Gh¢ 52.47 and Gh¢ 59.52 per acre were the cost of production in Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and West-Mamprusi respectively.
Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Virus-Free Sweetpotato Vines in Central Uganda: A Case of Mpigi and Wakiso Districts
S Nakanyike - 2014
Several studies on sweetpotato in Uganda acknowledge scarcity of quality sweetpotato vines as one of the key constraints affecting sweetpotato production. The quality of planting material is mostly compromised by the accumulation of viruses leading to development of the devastating sweetpotato virus disease (SPVD). There are a number of initiatives in Uganda for production and multiplication of virus-free sweetpotato vines in order to timely supply adequate quantities of quality planting material. However, success of these initiatives and sustainability through private sector investment will highly depend on farmers’ willingness to pay for the virus–free sweetpotato vines. This study was carried out in Mpigi and Wakiso districts that are prone to SPVD, with a major aim of investigating farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for virus-free sweetpotato vines.