Below are some current developments on Agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues
World Bank to Revive Agriculture in Ebola hit Countries
The World Bank Group has mobilized 15 million dollars to provide 10,500 tons of maize and rice seeds to over 200,000 farmers in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone for the April planting season to avert hunger, which has hit these countries. This has become necessary because the Ebola crisis had taken a heavy toll on the economies in all three countries, and the agriculture and food sectors have been particularly hard hit. The funds, in the form of grants financed by the International Development Association (IDA) and the Ebola Recovery and Reconstruction Trust Fund, will also be used to purchase fertilizer required to multiply foundation seed to meet tight planting season deadlines and help lay the foundations for sustained recovery. A statement from the World Bank Group copied to the Ghana News Agency explained that latest estimates by FAO and the World Food Programme, has showed that in Guinea, 230,000 people were food insecure and that number could rise to more than 470,000 by March 2015.
Africa Needs Paradigm Shift in Agric - Fifi Kwetey
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Fifi Kwetey, has called for a paradigm shift in the approach to agriculture in Africa to enable it to benefit from its potential. “To realize this golden age of Africa’s agriculture which is a prerequisite for Africa’s Golden Economic Age, there must be a paradigm shift in the approach to agriculture,” he said, adding that, “The shift must not only be at the level of leadership but also at the level of the small farmer and the African population as a whole.” Mr. Kwetey, who made the call when he addressed an annual lecture under the auspices of the Centre For Values In Leadership in Nigeria on the topic - Food Security and Poverty Alleviation, said, “That shift must bring about the realization that what we have all along viewed as massive problems are indeed seeds of opportunity.”
Government Sued over Genetically Modified (GM) Foods
Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) has sued the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to restrain the government from the release and commercialization of genetically modified cowpeas and rice until the provisions of the Biosafety Act are obeyed. A statement from the organization said it is calling for an injunction not only on the genetically rice and cowpeas, but on all GM crops until the National Biosafety Authority is in place. We have taken this action as a result of the fact that Ghanaians are being constantly bombarded with news items containing false claims that the attempts to impose GM rice and beans or our precious ‘waakye’, or the famous fired plantain and beans are being done in accordance with the law. “We maintain that this is certainly and evidently not the case. Our case is very simple. According to Section 13 of the Biosafety Act, 2011, Act 831, on the ‘The application to import or place on the market’, only the National Biosafety Authority has such a power to authorize the commercial release of GM foods in Ghana.”
President John Dramani Mahama Addresses Opening Session of IFAD Today
President John Dramani Mahama will today deliver a keynote speech to open the 38th Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Italy. World leaders have gathered in Rome for the two-day session, which is putting a spotlight on rural transformation as a major ingredient for sustainable development. The Governing Council, which is the fund's main decision-making body, is made up of all member states, including Ghana. It holds its annual meetings at the IFAD Headquarters in Rome….With respect to Ghana, IFAD intends to reduce poverty in line with the government's economic development strategy. Already, IFAD has approved US$271.5 million in loans and grants to support 17 projects and programmes in Ghana.
We need to Strengthen Ghana’s Seed Delivery Systems
Mr. Bright Demordzi, the Member of Parliament for Bortianor / Ngleshie Amanfro, has called for measures to strengthen the seed delivery systems in Ghana to increase awareness and adoption of new varieties of seeds. He said in spite of the availability of new varieties of seeds, coupled with the promotional efforts of the government and its development partners, the awareness and adoption of these varieties seemed to be low as a result of weak seed delivery systems in place. He said to achieve that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture needed to play a supervisory role with minimal direct involvement in the seed sector and leave marketing of seeds solely in the hands of the private sector. “There is the need for farmer education in local languages about the importance of using certified seeds and hybrid seeds in the media, during field days and demonstrations as well as enhancing the capacity of …
Nigeria, Ghana, Others to Benefit From U.S.$3.3 Million Rice Production Grant
Four African countries-Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania - are to benefit from the $3.3 million grant provided by Bill and Melinda Gates (BMGF) and the German Development Cooperation (BMZ), under their Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) project. The implementing institutions of the grant are led by GIZ, Technoserve, the John A. Kufuor (JAK) and Kili Trust (KT). The project, which will end in 2017 is targeting about 120,000 small scale rice producers, while secondary beneficiaries are the rural service providers and rice millers. The initiative is geared towards improving their sourcing capacity of quality supply.
Chocolate, Cocoa Exhibition to Mark Valentine’s Day
A grand exhibition of chocolate and cocoa-based products is scheduled to take place at the Accra Mall Saturday to climax this year’s National Chocolate Day celebration. According to a statement issued by the Ghana Tourist Authority (GTA) in Accra there would also be a tour to the Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo and Bunso Arboretum, as part of the celebration. The events are jointly being organized by the GTA, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC). The National Chocolate Day, instituted in 2006, is aimed at promoting the consumption of Ghana’s chocolate and cocoa-based products, minimize anti-social vices associated with the celebration of Valentine’s Day, increase awareness on the health benefits of chocolate and boost domestic tourism.
Let's Prioritise Restoration of our Forest Cover – Environmentalists
Ghana must take bold steps to recover her depleted forest cover to stabilize the deteriorating ecology towards sustaining biodiversity and natural resources in general. Dr. Kofi Frimpong, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vision 2050 Forestry Ghana Limited, an environmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), who made the recommendation said Ghana’s forest cover, which stood close to about 8.5 million hectares some 60 years ago had consistently dwindled to less than 400, 000 hectares….Illegal tree felling and mining, incoherent forestry management practices, improper farming practices and other unsupervised human activities have been cited for this development. Dr. Frimpong said with more than 85 per cent of the forest depleted and considering the current annual rate of depletion, the nation risked losing some vital tree and animal species.
Validation Workshop to Assess Studies on Climate Change Opens
A national validation workshop on country assessment studies on Climate Change, Agricultural Trade and Food Security within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on Tuesday opened in Accra. The study, which was the first phase of a two-year research activity involving 13 ECOWAS member countries, aims at assessing whether agricultural production systems and trade policies in the sub-region could be adjusted to alleviate the impact of climate change on food security and promote sustainable development. The participating countries made up of Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, were to validate their reports to ensure the authenticity of the information before forwarding them to the ECOWAS for adoption.
Two Hassle over Plant Breeders Bill (video)
The government and a non-governmental organization are on a collision course over the Plant Breeders Bill currently before Parliament. While two Ministers of State were in The Netherlands recently defending the bill, the Agriculture Sovereignty Ghana, a non-governmental organization, contends that the passage of the bill into law will have an extreme negative impact on the country’s agriculture. The Plant Breeders Bill seeks to protect the intellectual property of plant breeders who create new varieties and establish a legal framework to protect the rights of breeders of new varieties of plants or plant groupings. It is also to promote the breeding of new varieties of plants aimed at improving the quantity, quality and cost of food, fuel, fibre and raw materials for industry but it is currently facing stiff opposition from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and some individuals.
Government Allays Fears of Poultry Products Shortage
Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr. Hannah Bissue has dismissed suggestions that a shortage of poultry products in the country is eminent. The Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers has warned of a possible shortage of poultry products if Government does not release a 39 million cedis support package for the industry. According to the farmers, they lack the capacity to meet the growing domestic demand following Ghana’s temporary ban on poultry importation from Nigeria and recently from the United States of America. The ban on poultry products from the United States follows a discovery by scientists that chicken imports coming into Ghana from the US contain arsenic, a poisonous chemical which causes cancer.
Horticultural Products Export Not at Risk - Spio-Garbrah Assures
Ghana and other West African countries have up to October to enjoy non-reciprocal trading arrangement with the European Union (EU), which has extended its free-trade moratorium for West African countries under the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). This is because all members (including Ghana), except Nigeria, have signed onto the non-preferential trade treaty, which will offer a quota-free and duty-free market access to the EU market for all goods and services, excluding rice and sugar…. The trade minister encouraged exporters not to panic under any circumstance but should concentrate on making quality products with fair prices and that could give them a break in the EU market. He also urged the exporters, especially exporters of food and horticultural products to follow due advice to ensure that their products were not impounded, held up or quarantined for various sanitary and….
Tamale NGO Launches Water Project for Community
The Baptist Child Development Programme (BCDP) on Friday launched a project to provide safe drinking water for Kasuliyili and surrounding environs in the Tolon District of the Northern Region to address water related diseases in the area. The Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) is funding the BCDP to construct the facility with an estimated amount of $77,000 Canadian dollars, which is to be completed within a year. Mr. Evans Sinkare, the Programmes Manager of CCFC, launching the project at Kasuliyili, stressed the importance of potable water to deprived communities and assured of CCFC’s resolve to support vulnerable communities with some basic needs, including quality drinking water. He said the CCFC had over the years helped deprived communities including Kasuliyili with school infrastructure, hygiene and sanitation programmes, vocational training as well as assisting farmers…
Journalists Agree on Need to Scale Reportage on Environment
All 30 journalists attending a media training in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Monday agreed that there was need to do more stories on the environment to counter the raging abuse of water resources. The journalists, presenting three separate group work reports, were unanimous that the level of environmental reporting particularly on water was very low. The groups were to answer the questions on the situation on the ground, regarding reportage on the environment, particularly water challenges, and offer solutions. Reasons given included lack of interests of journalists in the area, poor access to institutions overseeing and regulating water resources, and low capacity of journalists on the issue. They called for the scaling up of capacity building opportunities on issues pertaining to integrated water resource management for journalists.
Ghana Conformity Assessment Program (GCAP) to Commence in April
The Ministry of Trade And Industry has given the Ghana Standards Authority the all clear to commence the implementation of the Ghana Conformity Assessment Program (GCAP) in April, 2015. The program was suspended last year to allow more time for further engagement with all stakeholders after strong opposition from the 8 member Joint Consultative Committee of stakeholders from the Private Sector. G-CAP is a conformity assessment process used to verify that products imported into Ghana meet the necessary standards at the manufacturing country of origin…. The program is expected to prevent the importation of substandard and fake products onto the Ghanaian market. Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) and Ghana Importers and Exporters Association (GIEA) have all warned government not to allow the take-off of the Ghana Conformity Assessment Programme since it will add to the….
Reports/Article
An Evaluation of Economic Water Productivity and Water Balance of Dry Season Irrigated Rice under Different Irrigation Regimes in Northern Ghana
S Abdul-Ganiyu, N Kyei-Baffour, W Agyare, W Dogbe - African Journal of Applied …, 2015
The major limiting factor for irrigated rice cultivation is water. As the demand for effective management of water increase due to climate change, future rice production will depend heavily on developing and adopting strategies and practices that use efficient water application. The objectives were to evaluate effects of different irrigation regimes on crop and economic water productivities as well as water balance for dry season irrigated rice production. This was to enable rice farmers and irrigation management to make an informed decision on the most economic and efficient water use regime for rice production. Two experiments were conducted using a randomized complete block design with 4 replications at On-Station (SARI) and On-Farm (Bontanga Irrigation Scheme) in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 dry seasons. The treatments were, surface irrigation with applied water equal to: the Field Capacity (FC)….
Socioeconomics Analysis of Smallholder Yam Production in North Eastern Corridors of Northern Ghana: Does Type of Planting Material Used Makes Any Difference
H Zakaria, WY Salifu, AM Abujaja, H Adam - 2014
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the significant of Yam Minisetts Technology (YMT) on yield and profitability of ware yam production among farmers in Northern Ghana. Primary data were collected from 242 yam farmers sampled through multi-stage sampling techniques in the Nanumba North and Gushiegu Districts of Northern Region. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin and benefit/cost analysis with doubled log multiple regression model used in analyzing the influence of socioeconomic variables on yield of yam. The study established that farms panted with yam setts generated through YMT yielded relative more than those planted with the conventional seed yam. Similarly, gross margin and benefit/cost ratio of farms planted with the conventional seed yam and those using YMT were found to differ significantly. Respondents who planted their yam farmers using…
Appraisal of Logistics Management Issues in the Agro-Food Industry Sector in Ghana
PNT Johnson, S Nketia, W Quaye - Journal of Agricultural Science, 2015
Logistics management in the Agro-food industries involves coordination of all activities in the value-chain of transporting goods and services to local, regional and international consumers. There are a lot of logistics related challenges facing agro-food industries in developing countries despite the fact that efficiency in logistics management contributes significantly to the competitiveness of agro-industries worldwide. This study investigates the existing logistics management practices in 20 selected agro-food enterprises in Ghana. Using in-depth case studies methodology, the paper addresses logistics related issues such as transportation and fleet management, infrastructure and equipment, quality of customer service and order management as well as level of ICT usage. Challenges facing small scale enterprises understudied include capital investment to replace old equipment with new ones, inadequate….
Economic Analysis of the Role of Farmer Organizations in Enhancing Smallholder Potato Farmers’ Income in Middle Guinea
E Tolno, H Kobayashi, M Ichizen, M Esham, BS Balde - Journal of Agricultural …, 2015
Farmers’ organizations are inclusive of the poor and are charged with the purpose of becoming a market outlet for smallholder farmers in Guinea. Improving farmers’ income earning capability and agricultural productivity has been an important strategy of Guinea’s agriculture development policy. However, despite their growing importance, empirical studies on how farmers’ organizations have impacted their members’ income are limited in Guinea. This paper investigates the determinants and effects on farm income of group membership, using the sample of 90 smallholder potato producers in Middle Guinea. A probit model was used as a selection equation to identify factors that influence group membership decision by smallholder potato farmers. The results revealed that the age of the potato farmers, land ownership, extension service, credit access and off-farm income are positively associated with …
Agricultural Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change Impacts in Africa: A Review
OM Akinnagbe, IJ Irohibe - Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research, 2015
Climate change is expected to intensify existing problems and create new combinations of risks, particularly in Africa. The situation is made worst due to factor such as widespread poverty, over dependence on rain fed agriculture, inequitable land distribution, limited access to capital and technology, inadequate public infrastructure, such as roads, long term weather forecasts and inadequate research and extension. By lessening the severity of key damages to the agricultural sector, adaptation is the key defensive measure. Adaptation to climate change involves changes in agricultural management practices in response to changes in climate conditions. This paper reviews agricultural adaptation strategies employed by farmers in various countries in Africa in cushioning the effects of climate change….
Insects as Food and Feed: A Review
PJ Anankware, KO Fening, E Osekre, D Obeng-Ofori - 2014
This research reviews the contribution of insects to man in his zeal to improve and widen his sources of food, feed and nutrition. It critically looks at major edible insects and how flies and other insects can contribute to the growing demand for cheap protein in the food and feed industry. Priority is also given to nutrition and some rearing models that have been developed and how these can be improved to domesticate these insects into mini-livestock... Insects have long been used as human food and animal feed in West Africa (Kenis and Hein, 2014; Riggi et al., 2014). However, compared to Central and Southern Africa, only few species are reported as being traditionally consumed by humans, the most common being grasshoppers and termites…
Effect of Poultry Manure and NPK on Yield and Storability of Orange and white-fleshed sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam]
ENK Sowley, M Neindow, AH Abubakari - ISABB Journal of Food and Agricultural …, 2015
Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is amongst the most commonly grown root crops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparatively, orange-fleshed cultivars of sweet potato are richer in beta carotene, a precursor to dietary vitamin A than white-fleshed ones. In spite of their health benefits, yields have been low in Africa due to low soil fertility. Studies were therefore conducted to determine the effect of amending soils with poultry manure and NPK mineral fertilizer on the yield and storability of orange-fleshed (OFSP) and white-fleshed sweet potato (WFSP). The field experiment was 3x2 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block design. Factors were fertilizer at two levels (poultry manure at 8.6 t/ha and NPK at 200 kg/ha) and control (no soil amendment) and sweet potato cultivars at two levels (orange-flesh and white-flesh). The highest yield of 12.4 t/ha was obtained from…