Below are some current developments on Agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues
30th Farmer’s Day Celebration; An Important Event
Three decades of the celebration of an event is not a mean feat. That the Farmer’s Day celebration is an important event on the national calendar is demonstrated by the fact that it has survived different governments that have directed the affairs of Ghana. Farmer’s Day was instituted by a military government, the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) in 1985. The first and second governments of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which took over the reins of the administration of Ghana from 1993 to 2001 continued with the celebration. In the same vein, the first and second governments of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which handled the affairs of Ghana from January 2001 to January 2009 kept alive the celebration of the farmer’s day….
Sefwi Wiawso Hosts 30th Farmers Day
The 30th edition of the National Farmer’s Day celebration comes off at the Sefwi Wiawso College of Education park in the Western Region on Friday, December 5, 2014, where 70 farmers, including the national best, will be rewarded for their hard work. The President, Mr. John Mahama, is expected to grace the occasion, alongside members of government, Members of Parliament (MPs), traditional authorities, Members of the Council of State, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, the clergy and religious bodies, assembly members, political party representatives as well as representatives of civil society and non- governmental organizations, among other invited dignitaries. The National Farmer’s Day, which is celebrated every first Friday in the month of December, was instituted in 1985 by the Government of Ghana to honour the gallant farmers and fishermen of Ghana for their hard work.
Greater Accra Celebrates Farmers Day
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo (2nd from right), listening to the Director of Ecotech Green Ghana Limited, Mr. Enkur Maheshwari (left), as he tells him about Tastey Palm Oil, a locally made product. Also listening is Mrs. Margret Kyei Manu (right), the Greater Accra Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and other officials during an inspection of Made-in-Ghana products at the 30th Farmers Day celebration which took place at Asofaa in the Ga West Municipality in the Greater Accra Region. The occasion was on the theme: "Eat what we grow."… Nii Afotey Agbo said even though the country had seen remarkable improvement in agriculture over the past years, what remained was to use the sector to engender economic transformation for the country. He, therefore, charged Ghanaians to consume more local foods.
NDC Salutes Ghanaian Farmers and Fishermen
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has extended felicitation to farmers and fishermen on the occasion of the National Farmers’ Day. A statement issued in Accra by Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary congratulated farmers and fishermen in Ghana on the occasion for their sacrifices and commitment to the course of the country’s vision of ensuring food sustenance and security. It said, the NDC appreciates their contribution to the nation’s economy through agricultural production in the face of challenges posed to agriculture in the country. “We wish to reiterate that the NDC is still committed to strengthening the capacity of farmers and providing the requisite resources to enable the country realize the full potential of Ghanaian farmers and fishermen,” it added.
Women Traditional Leaders Oppose GMO In Ghana
The traditional leaders, representing all the 45 traditional sub divisions in the region, threatened to embark on series of demonstrations if their call is ignored. They say the introduction of the bill in its current form will pose a threat to public health, food security and the independence of small farmers. Queen mothers in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana have unanimously called on the country's parliament not to pass the Plant Bleeders Bill. The traditional leaders, representing all the 45 traditional sub divisions in the region, threatened to embark on series of demonstrations if their call is ignored. They say the introduction of the bill in its current form will pose a threat to public health, food security and the independence of small farmers.
Farmers Attend Agribusiness Workshop
Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) has held a workshop on agribusiness for stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Ghana. The workshop, on the theme “Agribusiness as an enabler for growth: Moving from mere food stock to use as a development tool,” was aimed at recognizing and tapping into the value chain of the agribusiness sector in the country and brought together farmers and investors. t was jointly organized by the GGBL and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) under its “Africa 2.0” scheme…“It is important for farmers in the country to move from subsistence farming to large-scale farming, and see farming as a huge business.
Ghana Lagging in Fight Against Hunger – FAO
Ghana could not achieve the target of halving hunger before the target year 2015, after the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced the list of countries that have made outstanding progress in the fight against hunger. Ghana could not make the list of thirteen countries recognised by the FAO for outstanding progress in fighting hunger…“Progress in eradicating worldwide hunger over the next ten years “is gaining momentum”, but much more needs to be done – 805 million people still suffer from chronic undernourishment.”…. To achieve this, there is a need to “improve the quality and efficiency of food systems, promote rural development, increase productivity, raise rural incomes, improve access to food, and strengthen social protection,” Graziano da Silva said.
Ghana Acknowledges Japan’s Financial and Material Support
Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications, says Ghana acknowledges the considerable financial and material support extended by Japan to the country over the years in its quest for economic growth and development. He said in addition to the Eastern Corridor Bridge Project, Japan has this year extended a grant aid of $ 22.8 million to finance Food Security for Under-privileged Farmers Project, Fisheries Promotion in Sekondi Project and Poverty Reduction Project. He acknowledged the sacrifices of the Japanese Volunteer Corps who were mostly posted to work in the deprived areas, where access to health services, safe drinking water and general qualitative lifestyle is a big challenge
Farmers must Wean Themselves Off Subsidies - Minister
Mr. Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Tuesday entreated Ghanaian farmers to gradually wean themselves off subsidies on farming inputs and agro-chemical products. He cautioned that the government could not continue with the offer of subsidies, which come with greater cost and huge burden on national coffers, saying, “It is time that we become realistic and face the future with an independent mind and attitude”. Mr. Kwetey, who was addressing the fifth National Farmers’ forum, said farmers were equally doing well in the 1990s where there was no government subsidy so he entreated them to take the advice…
Farmers Appeal for Subsidized Fertilizers
Farmers in Upper-Manya Krobo District have appealed to the government not to stop the supply of subsidized fertilizer to farmers. According to the farmers, the failure to get the subsidized fertilizers was hampering their food production since most of them could not afford to buy fertilizer at the market price and therefore were not applying it to boost production. Speaking to the GNA Media Auditing and Tracking of Development Project team which is sponsored by STAR-Ghana during Farmers’ Day celebration, the 2013 District Best Farmer, Mr. Moses Kuma-Ayitey, said the lack of the subsidized fertilizer was affecting their production. He said land in the area, although good for farming, was not fertile as it used to be, so farmers needed to apply fertilizer.
Africa must Show Stronger Response to Soil Degradation
Professor Richard Akromah, Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has called for stronger national response to the high rate of soil degradation. This, he said, was necessary to improve crop yield, achieve food security, and fight hunger in Africa. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimates current farm yield in Africa at just about one-quarter of the global average, with one-third of Africans facing chronic hunger...The ceremony was for the first batch of scientists trained at the KNUST under the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Soil Health Programme in Kumasi.
All should be Concerned about Climate Change – Minister
Mr. Samuel Sarpong, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has said it was important to adopt better approaches towards reducing the effects of climate change on agriculture. He said it was necessary to focus on applicable technologies that would help improve crop yield and productivity. Mr. Sarpong said although capital inputs and human resources are vital for agriculture production, climate was the overriding factor. That determines the type of crops that could be grown in certain geographical areas and that is why beans, millet, guinea corn and groundnuts survive better in the north than in the southern part of the country. Mr. Sarpong was speaking at a day’s regional climate-smart agriculture and technology profiling workshop held in Kumasi.
USAID Supports SFMP With $24 Million
Friends of the Nation (FoN) has been selected as one of the implementing partners for the five-year Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP). The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed approximately $24 million dollars to the SFMP to contribute to food security in Ghana. The Coastal Resources Center at the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, USA (CRC), is the lead in this project lasting from October 2014 to October 2019. The fisheries management project has the objective to rebuild Ghana’s marine fisheries stocks and catches through facilitating adoption of responsible fishing practices. It complements the Government of Ghana’s fisheries development objectives and USAID’s Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative goals of improved food security, economic growth and poverty alleviation.
Brong-Ahafo has a Stockpile of Maize
The Brong-Ahafo Region has a stockpile of 104,457 mini (50 kilograms) bags of maize at the Wenchi and Sunyani collection points. Mr. Eric Opoku, the Regional Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South, said this at the 30th Regional farmers’ day celebration at Derma in the Tano South District. Mr. Opoku said 34,933 of the stock had been released with 69,524 left under the national food security programme meant to mop up excess foodstuff in the market during glut period for storage to improve food security in the country. He said the Region continued to benefit under the various government agricultural interventions and farmers had been assisted with improved seeds, fertilizer, agro chemicals, tractors and extension services to enable them to improve their yields.
Youth Urged to Invest in Poultry
Mr. Mark Amoaku-Dompreh, Nsawam/Adoagyiri Municipal Chief Executive, said government had allocated GH¢50 million special support towards poultry farming and therefore appealed to the youth to start some poultry businesses to benefit from the facility. He made the call at the celebration of the 30th edition of the annual Farmers’ Day in the municipality at Kwarfokrom near Nsawam. Ibrahim Mamudu of Obronikrom won the prize for the Municipal Best Farmer. Mamudu has a 30-acre farm of mixed crops including cassava, coconut, and plantain. He also has some animals made up of 28 goats, 27 sheep and others. In all 20 farmers were awarded with certificates and some farming inputs for their contribution to the development of agriculture in the municipality…
Ghanaians Urged to Change Attitude Towards Indigenous Food
The Kwahu West Municipal Director of Agriculture, Mr. Nathan Aboagye, has appealed to Ghanaians to change their attitude towards indigenous nutritious food products and stop the craze for foreign food. He appealed to people to consume locally produced nutritious foods to avoid disease associated with foreign food products. Mr. Aboagye made the call at the 30th Farmers Day celebration in the Municipality at Kwameng under the theme “Eat what you grow.” He said the government in collaboration with the rural enterprise project and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, had initiated an intervention by creating awareness and training the youth between the ages of 18 to 35 years to go into agricultural production, distribution and marketing.
Akatsi-North District Chief Executive (DCE) Proposes Agriculture Focused Bank
Mr. James Gunu, Akatsi-North District Chief Executive (DCE) has proposed an essentially agricultural sector funding Rural Bank, to tackle the very low access of farmers to credit in the area. He said in the bank could be called Ave-Rural Bank and its capitalization should be the challenge of citizens at home and abroad. Mr. Gunu was speaking at a durbar at Ave-Afiadenyigba to mark the 30th Farmers Day, during which 23 individuals and institutions were awarded. The DCE said the Assembly is poised to support any such move, which would give “our farmers access to soft loans and other credits”…. “We ought to make the sector attractive through the provision of credit and machinery in order to encourage our youth to venture into agriculture,” the DCE stated.
Food Security/Crisis
Food Insecurity, Bane of Africa’s Development – Deputy Minister
Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, has appealed to researchers to research into the cultivation and consumption of local food to boost Africa’s local economies. He said food security and the lack of it had been the bane of Africa’s development, which needed a concerted effort to address the problem. Alhaji Fuseini gave the advice in Nyankpala on Tuesday at the opening of a five-day Annual Review and Planning workshop of Traditional African Vegetable (TAV) Project for Income and Nutrition in West and Central Africa hosted by the Savanna Agriculture Research Institute (SARI). The three-year project is under the auspices of the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development where researchers from Mali, Burkina-Faso, Cameron and Ghana are meeting.
Closing Food Security Gap in Ghana
Ghana faces some challenges when it comes to agriculture, and food security at large. The food crop sector of Ghana's agriculture is rain fed, except for vegetables that is mostly irrigated. Low farm sizes dominates the stretches of farm land, usually on household subsistence basis. There is low shelve life for the harvested produce due to low technology for processing and storage. The food crop sector is further challenged by low investment as government and individuals focus more attention on cocoa and other horticultural crops like palm and citrus. The poorly developed nature of Ghana's internal food market cannot be over looked since it dictates the efficiency of the food supply chain. At policy level, government policy on agriculture is not well understood by farmers, making….
Farmers Hold the Key to Food Security
Mr. Isaac Ashai Odamten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, has said the government would always partner farmers to achieve food security. Ghanaian farmers, he said, were hardworking and visionary and had, therefore, made agriculture the greatest support for national development since independence. Mr. Odamten was addressing the Tema Metropolitan National Farmers’ Day Celebration on the theme, “Eat What We Grow”. He said various irrigation dams throughout the country had been revived to boost agriculture, while extension officers were intensifying their field work to help farmers to adopt appropriate technologies to increase their yields. “More agricultural training schools and programmes are in full swing as farm inputs are supplied to farmers,” he said. “We are optimistic of a bright future.”
Derma Awards its Best Farms
Mr. Bukari Zakari Anaba, the District Chief Executive for Tano South, has said the district has embarked on a six-acre demonstration on good agricultural practice on cassava, maize and cowpea under the West Africa Agriculture Project (WAAP) to ensure food security. He said a 30-acre rice under the rice programme of the government to increase rice production is underway. Demonstration is also on going on cocoyam to determine the actual and right quality quantity of chemicals to improve a six-acre cocoyam farm. Mr. Anaba was speaking at the 30th farmers day celebration at Derma in the Tano South District under the theme” Eat what we grow’. He appealed to the youth to take advantage of the vast land available in the district to go into farming.
Reports/Articles
Improving the Management and Use of Water Resources for Small-Scale Irrigation Farming in the Garu Tempane District of Ghana
A Jonah, TD Dawda - Journal of Sustainable Development, 2014
Small scale irrigation farming has been recognized as an important avenue for improving the well-being of poor people living in arid and marginal areas of the world. The contribution of small scale irrigation can be seen in its ability to ensure food security as well as contribute to the income of farmers. In the Garu-Tempane District, small scale irrigation farming is a major source of livelihood for people in the district. Despite the importance of the irrigation schemes to dry season farming the schemes face challenges such as inadequate water, inadequate canals, choked and broken canals due to frequent breakdown and inadequate repairs which affect their effective operation. Although the major use of the dam waters was dry season farming, animal watering and fishing were also found to be significant uses of the dam waters.
Contemporary Price Trends and their Economic Significance in the Ashanti Region of Ghana
J Fearon, J Asare, EO Okran - Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2014
The objective of this study was to examine the current trend in price of staples and the possible effect on income. Price volatility is explained by changes in the trend itself, and to a lesser extent by variation around its mean (historical volatility approach), which is based on observed past prices. This measure was adopted to gauge the variation in commodity price around the mean. The results show that although prices increased steadily over the years, volatility was relatively minimal between 2002 and 2006 as compared to the period after. Unlike the cereals, more than 50% of vegetables traded on the markets are imported from neighbouring countries. The price range for vegetables was thus much wider than cereals. Supply shortfalls and transportation cost were cited as the…..
Biosafety Issues in Food and Agricultural Systems in Africa
DN OBONYO, M RACOVITA, D RIPANDELLI, W CRAIG - Biosafety in Africa, 2014
The term biosafety has been defined as ‘the avoidance of risk to human health and safety, and to the conservation of the environment, as a result of the use for research and commerce of infectious or genetically modified organisms’ (FAO 2001). Genetically engineered organisms (GEOs/GMOs) are created by transferring genetic material from one organism to another through a process called genetic engineering(GE)4. The protein encoded by the introduced gene will confer a particular trait or characteristic to the recipient organism. Across the millennia, selective breeding and other such techniques have been used by humans to transfer genetic material within species complexes. New technologies such as GE permit more controlled gene transfers, and also allow for transfers among completely unrelated species (Philips 2008)…
Determinants of Choice of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Northern Ghana
FN Mabe, G Sienso, SA Donkoh - Research in Applied Economics, 2014
This paper used binary logistic regression model to analyze factors that affect the choice of climate change adaptation strategies of farmers in Northern Ghana. Using semi-structured questionnaires, 155 farmers were randomly sampled from purposively selected three Northern Regions in Ghana. The empirical results of the binary logistic regression models revealed different effects of the factors on farmer’s choice of adaptation strategies. Farming experience, farm income, access to phones, mixed farming, farmers’ perception on reduction in rainfall amount and access to weather information significantly and positively affects the choice of at least five climate change adaptation strategies. Following the findings of this study, agricultural extension service should be intensified through…..
Analysis of Adoption of Improved Maize Production Technology among Farmers in Southern Borno, Nigeria
DB Bawa, AO Ani - Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2014
This study assesses the adoption of Improved Maize Production Technology among farmers in Southern Borno, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to analyze the relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their adoption of improved maize technology and to determine innovation utilization and its effect on farmer’s production. Data for the study were obtained from 360 respondents selected through multistage sampling procedure. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. Gross margin was used to measure the profit of farm enterprises (effect of farmer’s production) before and after utilizing the agricultural innovation, while Regression analysis (OLS) was used to establish relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and adoption of agricultural innovation.
Determinants of Peri-Urbanization and Land Use Change Patterns in Peri-Urban Ghana
DO Appiah, JT Bugri, EK Forkuor, PK Boateng - Journal of Sustainable Development, 2014|
The main aim of this paper is to examine the effects of peri-urbanization on peri-urban land use change patterns, using a binary logistic regression model, in the Bosomtwe district of the Asante region, Ghana. The decision to convert from agricultural land uses to residential and commercial land uses are driven by a myriad of factors, ranging from social to economic in the Bosomtwe District. A triangulation of qualitative and quantitative design was used. Household questionnaires were proportionately administered to 270 respondents in 14 communities, on the basis of population…. Increasing rate of peri-urbanization is caused by increasing demand for residential, recreational (Hotels and Guest houses) and commercial land uses at the expense of agro-forest land uses. These have some negative implications on local climate and food security. The District assembly should strictly monitor physical development in line with planning schemes.