Below are some current developments on Agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues
Maize Productivity in Ghana *NEW GSSP POLICY NOTE*
Maize is an important food crop in Ghana, accounting for more than 50 percent of the country’s total cereal production. The Ghana Grains Development Project (1979–1997) and the Food Crops Development Project (2000–2008) made major investments to improve maize yield. Despite these efforts, the average maize yield in Ghana remains one of the lowest in the world, much lower than the average for Africa south of the Sahara. It is also lower than yields achieved in similar lowland, rain fed, tropical environments in Thailand and southern Mexico (Figure 1). Yields have been growing by only 1.1 percent per annum in Ghana. In 2012, maize yields in Ghana averaged 1.2–1.8 metric tons (mt) per hectare (ha), far below the potential yield of 4–6 mt/ha achieved in on‐station trials. This note examines maize productivity against this backdrop. It looks at the state of technology adoption, markets and policies, and attainable yield potential to explain the persistently low productivity of maize in Ghana.
Substituting for Rice Impacts in Ghana *NEW GSSP POLICY NOTE*
As rice imports surge ahead of production in Ghana, increasing rice production and yields has become a priority. Annual per capita consumption of rice in Ghana grew from 17.5 kg during 1999–2001 to 24 kg during 2010–2011. President Mahama, concerned with rising importation costs, suggested that rice should be produced locally (Asare‐Boadu & Syme 2014). As only 5 percent of global production is traded, local production would also protect consumers from price shocks in the world rice market (World Bank 2013). While substantial investments in national rice production have been made, local production is still not able to keep up with growing demand for rice in Ghana. Although local production of milled rice recently has grown by 10.5 percent annually, from 242,000 metric tons (mt) in 2004 to 481,000 mt in 2012, most of this growth in production has come from area expansion (7.5 percent), with the remaining 3.0 percent coming from productivity improvements. Despite these efforts, Ghana imported 640,000 mt of rice in 2013.
Agriculture Ministry Steps Up Aflatoxin Contamination Control
The fight to control Afflation contamination of key staple foods in Ghana has been stepped up with the Agriculture ministry training its staff to pass on the knowledge to farmers. Trained Staff of the ministry would be passing on information on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to famers and other players in the agriculture value chain. “These are good initiatives, which have helped farmers to improve food security and improve rural livelihoods by reducing crop losses to pest and diseases”, said Mr Fred Asante of the Brong Ahafo Regional Office of the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services of the Ministry. Mr. Asante made this known at a workshop attended by smallholder farmers, food sellers, agro processors and other players in the agriculture value chain in Techiman, in the Brong Ahafo Region.
"Ghana to Soon Import Water"-Forestry Commission
Mr. Samuel Afari-Dartey, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, has hinted that, Ghana would soon have to import potable water if the nation continues to lose its forests cover. He expressed regret that the rate at which the nation’s forest reserves and off reserves were being destroyed was very alarming and that it was destroying the watershed protection function of the forests. Mr. Afari-Dartey was answering questions from members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Land and Forestry at a workshop on Forestry and Environmental Concepts organized for them at Koforidua. According to the Chief Executive, health problems such as respiratory diseases emanate from the loss of the forest cover and that all hands must be put on deck to save Ghana’s forests from further destruction.
FAO: Ebola Threatens Food Security in West Africa
The world's worst Ebola epidemic has put harvests at risk and sent food prices soaring in West Africa, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Tuesday, warning the problem will intensify in coming months. The FAO issued a special alert for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea -- the three countries most affected by the outbreak which has killed around 1,550 people since the virus was detected in the remote jungles of southeastern Guinea in March. Restrictions on people's movements and the establishment of quarantine zones to contain the spread of the hemorrhagic fever has led to panic-buying, food shortages and price hikes in countries ill-prepared to absorb the shock.
Bright Future for Smallholder Farmers in the Upper East Region
The Upper East Region falls within the Sudan Savanna zone which is characterized by a uni-modal rainfall regime lasting five to six months and a long dry period of six to seven months. Average annual rainfall of 885mm can be very patchily distributed and farmers sow seeds two or three times before the rains set in reliably somewhere in August. The unfavorable climatic condition coupled with low soil fertility account for the poor yields of crops in the Region. Predominantly farmers’ household food security becomes a major problem despite the fact that they tediously and labouriously till the land for cropping each year. Whilst majority of the farmers in the area usually do small scale farming just to feed their families, there are others who undertake commercial farming. The two group of farmers face the same problems.
Ghana Losing Forest Cover to Illegal Mining
Ghana’s forest cover stands the risk of being decreased to considerable level in the next generation if illegal mining in forest reserves is not stemmed, the Forestry Commission, has warned. The Commission said it is the responsibility of stakeholders to tackle the menace with zeal to sustain the eco-system and biodiversity. Currently, forest reserves including the Supuma, Subri, Bonsa, Upper Wassaw, Apamprama, Desin, Oda, Atiwa, are being degraded at an alarming rate due to illegal mining. Mr. Alexander Amoako Boadu, National Director of Operations of Forestry Services Division of the Commission, told Ghana News Agency that the trend has led to the pollution of water bodies, while large tracts of forests have been depleted.
Illegal Mining to Threaten Food Security of the Country
Illegal mining is to cause reduction in food production. This came to light during a Global Pollination Project (GPP)-Ghana, capacity workshop for journalists from the southern part of the country at Somanya. Dr Kwame Aidoo, the GPP Project Manager, said the illegal miners destroy farmlands and water bodies for agricultural and domestic purpose. Dr. Rofela Combey of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife at the University of Cape Coast and a facilitator of the project said in order for the country to ensure food security, the country must learn to protect pollinators who are the major agents in food production. Dr. Rofela said without pollinators, Ghana's cocoa production will decrease by 90 percent, mangoes by 40 to 90 percent and garden eggs by 10 to 40 percent.
Africa: From Ghana to South Africa, the Future Looks Promising for Africa's Agropreneurs
After a few hectic days at the African Green Revolution Forum, I am more optimistic than ever that Africa is on the edge of enormous agricultural change. Most of my conversations in Addis had nothing to do with "development" problems, for example, but I heard plenty of excitement about the business opportunity. Africa's productivity levels could easily double within five years and, as Akin Adesina, Nigeria's agriculture minister, said, it simply does not make any sense that Africa spends US $35 billion each year on importing food. Africa has more than enough resources to feed itself and other regions of the world. And investors - both local and international - are clearly catching on. They might have profited from food imports once upon a time, but more and more are now investing in Africa's agriculture itself.
World Vision To Improve Vitamin A Deficiency In Ghana
A project using food based approach through the production, consumption and marketing of orange flesh sweet potato seeks to improve vitamin A deficiency especially among children under five years in Ghana.The initiative, System Approach to Improve and Sustain Food Security in West Africa (SATISFY), undertaken by World Vision Ghana would benefits two districts in the BrongAhafo region, namely Kintampo South and Atebubu. “We have realised that vitamin A deficiency is a problem in Ghana and the supplementation is becoming a challenge, for the past three months now, the supply has been erratic, ’says Stephen Matey, World Vision project coordinator. “There is the need to introduce new approach and we think that food based approach is better given that farming plays a major role in the country thus farmers can produce crops that…
Articles/Reports
Farmers’ Perception and Farming Practices on the Effect of Early and Late Leaf Spots on Groundnut Production in Northern Ghana
IY Jnr, C Kwoseh, M Osman, K Acheremu, Y Julius - Journal of Biology, Agriculture …, 2014
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important crop both in subsistence and commercial agriculture in Ghana. Early leaf spot (Cercospora arachidicola) and late leaf spot (Phaeoisariopsis personata) are major limiting factors to groundnut productivity in Ghana. The objective of the study was to appraise farmers’ perception of the disease and effect of the cropping system on the incidence and severity of the disease. A disease-based questionnaire was administered to 100 farmers in their local language spread across 10 villages and towns selected from Tamale, Tolon-Kunbungu and Savelugu-Nanton Districts, all in the Northern Region of Ghana. The responses of the farmers showed that Cercospora leaf spot (ELS and LLS) was perceived by the farmers as one of the major constraints to groundnut production in the area to which farmers have no solution. The severity of the disease was dependent on the cropping system adopted by the farmers.
Agriculture and Education: Agricultural Education as an Adaptation to Food Insecurity in Malawi
S Engler, MM Kretzer - 2014
This paper deals with the education system of Malawi with a specific focus on agriculture courses. The role of agricultural education as a form of adaptation to food insecurity will be the underlying basis for this publication. Historical backgrounds will underline the significance of agricultural training to avoid food insecurity. The nutritional condition of learners has a significant influence on their educational performance, just as well as the general circumstances influence individual education in Malawi. Many obstacles like insufficient material, untrained or hardly trained teachers, management at schools, teacher-learner ratio and many others issues hardly enable a meaningful education in Malawi. Therefore, this paper enriches the debate on early child education and future food security
The Impact of Organizational Restructuring on the Financial Performance of Public Banks: A Post Restructuring Assessment of Agricultural Development Bank, Ghana
CO Kwaning, RQ Churchill, AK Opoku - Research Journal of Finance and Accounting, 2014
In recent years, corporate restructuring has become a common practice undertaken by firms for surviving an increasingly fierce business environment. In the present work, a case study is employed to explore the motivators and impacts of restructuring of one of Ghana’s largest bank, Agricultural Development Bank (ADB). This paper begins by illustrating the theoretical explanations and implications regarding corporate restructuring. Taking into account the Ghanaian institutional context, the theoretical framework implies that the framework regarding motivators and impacts of restructuring could be applicable to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Then, it presents a case study of ADB concerning the inside story of its restructuring… ADB’s weak governance, poor strategic control, and poor performance; whilst the impacts are on ADB’s…
Assessment and Selection of Superior Genotypes among Elite Cassava Genotypes by Farmers and Scientists in Southern Tanzania
AC Kundy, GS Mkamilo, RN Misangu - Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2014
A participatory genotype/variety selection involving farmers in three agro ecological zones in Southern Tanzania and scientists from Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) to select superior cassava genotypes is described. Initial situation analyses of the communities indicated that cassava is increasing in importance both as a food and a cash crop. Most farmers utilized landraces of cassava; improved varieties were scarcely mentioned. Nine newly improved cassava genotypes obtained from advanced yield trial at NARI were planted in each agro ecological in a randomized complete block design. During cropping season (2011/2012) the genotypes selected by farmers were almost the same as those selected by scientists after analysis. This selection process has identified four superior genotypes…