Below are some current developments on agriculture in Africa:
Media Reports
5,000m/t of Raw Cashew Nuts Imported from Guinea Bissau
USIBRAS Ghana Limited, the biggest cashew processing company in West Africa, has appealed to government for better support to the country’s cashew processors as it is importing 5,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts from Guinea Bissau due to the limited access to high quality raw cashew nuts in Ghana. The company said on July 5th 2016, it received the first shipment of 3,500 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts from Melo Ltda, a cashew company in Guinea-Bissau, and is expecting the second shipment of an additional 1,500 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts this week to supply their current factory demands. Mr. Tarciso Falcao, Operations Director of USIBRAS Ghana Limited in a statement copied to the B&FT said: “We need prompt policies on the taxation of raw cashew nut exports, the establishment of a two months export window for raw cashew nuts, a minimum price for farmers per season and a long-term plan for the sustainable development of a flourishing cashew sector.” Since the introduction and immediate withdrawal of an export window for raw cashew nuts in the beginning of 2016, the potentials and challenges of the cashew sector have been on the country’s government agenda….
Poor Rainfall Threatens Maize Production in Brong Ahafo
Maize farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region fear losing their investments to poor harvest, as irregular rainfall pattern lingers. Areas such as Sunyani West, Berekum and Tain have not recorded any rainfall in weeks though it’s the rainy season. The Region is one of the leading maize growing areas in the country, accounting for about 35% of the total national production. But it appears maize production level in the region will reduce drastically this year in the face of unreliable rains and absence of irrigation systems. A 42-year-old famer, Kofi Vinyo, has cultivated over 313 acres of maize around Odomase in the Sunyani West district. In an interview with B&FT, he expressed the anxiety over harvesting next to nothing on a large portion on his farms because of unfavourable climatic condition. “After toiling to secure little funding for such farming project, it’s very disheartening to see the crops prematurely drying up, all because of a natural phenomenon which could have been taken care of if there were to be an effective irrigation scheme. I started constructing an irrigation system but I got stuck halfway due to financial constraint….
Shea Industry Cries for Investment
The shea nuts industry’s value chain continues to be an economic driver for a lot of rural women farmers’ resident in the northern sector as the commodity serves as employment generation, industrial development and growth of the national economy. It is estimated that annual earnings from the sector currently stands at US$175 million, comprising export revenues from the raw nuts and processed butter. Critics have observed that the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), which has the mandate to direct and implement policies for the growth of the industry has neglected the sector for cocoa. They expressed worry about that the lack of clear-cut policies to develop the industry, which has resulted in the sheanut trees being currently cut down and burnt for charcoal and other farming activities in certain communities within the three northern regions. Such development has negatively affected the industry since sheanut trees grow naturally and not through human effort. Until recently, shea nut farmers in the three regions were not benefiting from any floor price as pertains in the cocoa industry. The National Association of Shea Nut Farmers, Processors and Buyers complained about floor low price decided and announced by the COCOBOD for the produce as part of the government’s efforts at improving the lot of the pickers and farmers, as well as develop a profitable shea nut industry….
Fertiliser Consumption in W/A Among the Lowest—Report
Fertiliser consumption in West Africa is one of the lowest in the world, a report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs in Parliament, has revealed. According to the report, the Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has recommended that in order to meet the objective of a six percent annual growth of agricultural productivity that was set by the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) adopted by NEPAD in 2003, the average annual fertilizer application rate in West Africa should be increased from the current 8kilogram per hectare to 23kilogram per hectare. Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Gabriel K.Essilfie said “Such advocacy for increased fertilizer use must also be complemented by the need to strengthen fertilizer quality control”. Mr. Essilfie also stated that regulating trans-border movement of seeds and fertilisers across the sub-region was essential in ensuring availability of quality seeds and fertilisers among ECOWAS Member countries as part of measures to increasing productivity and achieving food security. The report further explains that a study by International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) in 1995 on the quality of fertilisers marketed in West Africa indicated that even though the physical properties of marketed fertilisers are acceptable, 43percent of products were nutrient deficient whilst 58percent were deficient in weight…
Private Sector should Invest in Bulk Food Storage – Alhassan
A Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, has urged the private sector to invest in the operations of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), as it is presently not well equipped to store enough food to ensure food security in Ghana. “The private sector must see to the issue of the storage of commodities to regulate or supply to the market as a strategic investment opportunity,” Dr. Alhassan said on the Citi Breakfast Show. NAFCO was set up to, among other things, mop up excess produce from Ghanaian farmers in order to reduce post-harvest losses. But Dr. Alhassan believes the private sector must supplement the efforts of NAFCO in their attempts to address post-harvest losses after bumper harvests. According to him, “the government cannot build all the warehouses that we use or all the cold storage facilities that we use. It has to be done by the private sector.” “Why is that we have all these cold houses that store away imported chicken and fish for supply on the market and we cannot have the very private sector investing in cold storage facilities keep tomatoes and other perishables in the country,” Dr. Alhassan argued further…
New Technologies Boost Rice Production
New technologies introduced to dry season rice farmers at the Daffiama and Sankana irrigation dams in the Upper West Region have boosted rice production. The adoptation of the “Feed the Future Ghana Agricultural Technology Transfer (ATT) project’s” Urea Deep Placement (UDP), rice transplanting, the provision certified rice seeds, free fertilizers and planting on rolls technologies had helped increased production compared to the indigenous broadcasting system known to the farmers. The interventions also allowed more rice to be planted and made weeding and harvesting easier and faster as well as helped to reduce cost and promote maximum utilisation of fertilizer than the traditional broadcasting system. A plant could develop about 25 to 30 tillers as compared to the traditional method of broadcasting, which produced about 14 tillers. The project’s goal is to increase the availability of appropriate and affordable technologies to sustainably improve the competitiveness of maize, rice, and soybean value chains in Northern Ghana. It focused on integrated soil fertility management, seed sector promotion and upscaling of high quality seeds, capacity building in research …
ECOWAS Commission Holds Workshop on Climate Change
The ECOWAS Commission is to hold a capacity building programme for regional Civil Society Organizations, the media and the private sector on climate change. The three-day workshop, which commences from July 13 to 15, 2016, in Abuja, Nigeria, will enable participants analyse the Paris Agreement on climate change and identify potential contributions that can be implemented in the West African sub-region. A statement issued by the Commission in Abuja on Tuesday and made available to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the meeting is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the stakeholders to appreciate issues that have to do with climate change. Participants at the workshop are to present the process of international negotiations on climate change that have led to the Paris Agreement and raise possible opportunities for civil society organizations, the media and the private sector in its implementation. Apart from knowing the status of Climate Funds and the Green Climate Fund, they are also expected to identify contributions and actions at both regional and national levels of each of the three groups of actors in the implementation of the Paris agreement and the fight against climate change in West Africa …
2016 National Farmers Day Celebrations Launched in Accra
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture MOFA), at the weekend launched this year’s National Farmers’ Day celebrations scheduled to take place on October 7, at Kintampo in the Brong- Ahafo Region. The day, which is set aside by government to honour farmers and fishers who provide food for the people, raw materials for industries and earn foreign exchange for the country, is on the theme: '' Agriculture; A business response to economic growth.'' In a speech read on his behalf to launch the event, Mr. Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff, said the theme underscored effective commercial agriculture, as a critical factor for the country’s development agenda and there is thus a strong need for sustainable and responsible investment to create business opportunities in the agricultural sector. He said the theme also demonstrates the resolve of government at providing a framework and institutional basis for a long-term engagement and supplementary financing for scaling up investment in private sector-led pro-poor agriculture value chain development through the Ghana Agriculture Sector Investment Programme (GASSIP) being implemented by MOFA. GASSIP is expected to directly benefit at least 62,900 farmers by Programme Year (PY) 3 and 86,400 farmers by PY 6, that 4000 Farmer-Based Organisations would be involved in implementation and would receive support to be integrated into formalised value chains and expected to be more climatic resilient …
Farmers Association Applauds Increased Fertilizer Subsidy
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has applauded the government for the five per cent increase in fertilizer subsidy. Alhaji Mohammed Abdul Rahman, the National President, said they found the upward adjustment of the subsidy from 21 to 26 per cent significant and commendable. He, however, pleaded for further reduction of the price of fertilizers to make these affordable to the smallholder farmer. He was speaking at the launch of an “Agro-ecology project” in Techiman, to be implemented by the association. The project is being funded by Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA), an NGO, with the African Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ACCAI) and Organization for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (OSARD) as the other implementing partners. The goal is to promote appropriate agronomic practices to sustain increased food production. Mr. Rahman said the association was not unaware of the stepped up effort by the government to support the growth of the agricultural sector and appreciated that. He cited the introduction of organic fertilizer as part of the fertilizer subsidy project, revamping of collapsed agro-businesses and irrigation projects. He drew attention to the need to improve farmer access to agricultural extension services to expose them to new farming technologies...
Newmont and Forestry Commission sign MoU
Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (NGRL) and the Forestry Commission, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence the implementation of the second phase of the Newmont Reforestation Offset Programme. The restoration programme forms part of the mitigation measures Newmont Ghana is undertaking in line with the approved Environmental Impact Statement for acquiring and mining 101 hectares outs of the 568.56 hectares of Ajenjua Bepo Forest Reserve. Already, NGRL has completed phase one of the project by establishing a 60-hectare plantation in off reserve areas between the company’s water storage dam and the Mamang Forest Reserve. The MoU would see the commencement of the reclamation of 257 hectares of degraded forest land in the Kweikaru Forest Reserve in the Kade District of the Eastern Region to make up for the 303 hectares reforestation commitment. The Executive Director of the Forest Services Division, Mr. Raphael Yeboah said the implementation of the project would help the Commission to achieve its vision of leaving future generations with a better richer and more valuable forest and wildlife resources than it inherited. “The project apart from its environmental benefits of enhancing biodiversity also reduces carbon emissions to offset the company’s carbon footprints,” he said It would help create about 250 jobs in the local community …
Programme to Improve Cocoa Production Launched
The Member of Parliament for the Agona West Constituency, Mr. Charles Obeng-Inkoom, has launched a programme to improve cocoa production in the area. Dubbed “Agonaman Cocoa Sustainability Youth Programme,” the move is an intervention to augment efforts of the government through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to increase cocoa production and to better the lot of farmers. The event attracted cocoa farmers from Nyakrom, Upper Bobikuma, Lower Bobikuma, Agona Nkum, Oteipro, Nyamendam, Apponsah, Otsenkorang and Kuntanase. As part of the event, the MP presented 50 cocoa spraying machines to the farmers, who had been put into groups, to help them during the spraying seasons. Mr. Obeng-Inkoom told the gathering that the initiative was to encourage the youth to go into cocoa production, since there existed a lot of support by the government in its quest to achieve more than a million tonnes of cocoa annually. He stated that the current cocoa farmers were aged and if care was not taken the annual cocoa yield would reduce, since the younger generation had not been empowered to take over. He urged the farmers to properly regulate the usage of the machines as well as ensure their maintenance to enable them to last longer…
Youth in Cocoa Farming Launched at Bontodiase
A new programmed dubbed: "Youth in Cocoa Farming" introduced by the Cocoa Extension Unit of COCOBOD, has been launched at Akim Bontodiase in the Eastern Region. It would be extended to other towns like Akokoaso, Ofoase, Brenase, Anyinase, and Ayirebi in the Akyemansa District. Mr. Foster Oyinka Danquah, the Akim Oda District Extension Officer of COCOBOD launching the programme, said the initiative was introduced this year to promote cocoa yields. He said extension officers would provide supervision for the participants and give free training. Mr. Tom Budu, the Akyemansa District Chief Executive pledged the Assembly’s support to the programme to improve efficiency on cocoa farming activities and enhance more yields. "Had it not been cocoa farming activities I might have not gained money to care for my education to be who I am today. Now I have about 60 acres land of cocoa," Mr. Budu said. He advised participants in the programme to collaborate in weeding, spraying and sharing of opinions and knowledge acquired from the training. As part of the launch, Executive Members of the programme were inaugurated …
Reforestation Programme for Degraded Kweikaru Land
Over 257 hectares of degraded land in the Kweikaru Forest has been handed over to Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, a mining company, for a reforestation programme. This was the outcome of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Forestry Commission (FC) and the mining company last Friday. The project is the second phase of Newmont’s reforestation programme, which will see the company nurse and nurture seeds, plant seedlings and manage the forest reserve for the next 10 years. The first phase, covering 60 hectares of the boundary area between the company’s mines and the Ajenua Bepo Forest was begun in 2014. The two projects will together cover 303 hectares, which is three times Newmont’s current mining area, and will involve replanting indigenous trees. Newmont operates on 101 hectares of the Ajenua Forest Reserve and this has had a significant impact on the forest as a result of the company’s open-pit mining operations. The reforestation programme forms part of Newmont’s mitigation measures rolled out in consultation with the FC to offset the effects of mining activities by Newmont’s Akyem Mine on the Ajenua Bepo Forest ….
Reports/Articles
Adoption of Farm Management Practices by Smallholder Cocoa Farmers in Prestea Huni-Valley District, Ghana
DS Ehiakpor, G Danso-Abbeam, J Zutah, A Hamdiyah - Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences, 2016, vol. 53, issue 5, pages 117-124
As part of Ghana’s quest to increase cocoa production, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana has recommended farm management practices to help boost production levels. However, adoption of these management practices had been low, leading to yield levels below potential. This study investigates the adoption intensity and factors explaining the variation in adoption among smallholder cocoa farmers in Prestea Huni-Valley district of Ghana. A sample size of 180 cocoa farm households from eight communities were randomly selected and interviewed through a well-structured questionnaire. Majority (80%) of the sampled farmers have adopted four to six out of seven cocoa farm management practices identified. The Poison regression model was used to examine the determinants of intensity of adoption of the farm management practices. The results generally revealed that, marital status of the farmer, household size, educational attainment, membership of farmer-based organization and farmer receiving extension services are all significant variables explaining farmer’s decision to adopt cocoa farm management practices. The study concludes by suggesting that farm level policies such as extension service delivery system should be strengthen in terms of staff and methodologies …
Assessment of Irrigation Performance Using Remote Sensing Technique at Tono irrigation Area in the Upper East Region of Ghana
J Asaana, A Sadick; International Research Journal of Agricultural and Food Sciences; Vol. 1 Issue 4, pp: (79-91), July 2016.
A research was conducted at Tono irrigation system in the Upper East Region of Ghana to evaluate the irrigation performance of the system based on some selected indicators with the help of GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques. The indicators, namely Overall Consumed Ratio (OCR), Relative Water Supply (RWS), Relative Evapotranspiration (RET), Depleted Fraction (DF) and Crop Water Deficit (CWD) were used at 3 command areas, Bonia, Korania and Chuchuliga. Potential evapotranspiration and actual evapotranspiration were estimated with Penman Monteith method and Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) using Aster Satellite image, respectively. The seasonal average values of the irrigation performance indicators showed that water delivery system at Tono irrigation project based on the selected command areas is poor.
Light Fishing Operations in Small-scale Fishing in Ghana – A Case Study of the Chorkor and Teshie–Nungua Fishing Communities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana
GA Agyekum, Master Thesis in International Fisheries Management, submitted to the Arctic University of Norway, in May 2016
Coastal fisheries resources play a crucial role in promoting food security and incomes throughout the world. In recent years there has been important concerns all over the world about the overexploitation of wild fish stocks. In many developing coastal countries this overexploitation has been attributed to the increasing demand of fish products and exacerbated by modernization and development of new fishing techniques to increase catch. One of the major problems in the fishing industry is the dwindling levels of fishing output. Ghana’s fishing levels are increasingly becoming unsustainable due to the use of highly destructive fishing equipment like light attraction equipment. Apart from the periodic shortages of pre-mix fuel, light fishing activities is identified by peasant fishers as a major challenge to their livelihood. The use of light fishing method for fishing also has the potential to negatively impact the profitability of poor fishers who are mainly small-scale artisanal fishers. The damaging effect of light fishing operation in the country and the factors affecting the effective enforcement of the ban on such operation leaves us with lots of uncertainties which this research seeks to unravel.
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