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Tag: Dr..Owusu Afriyie Akoto

  • Dr Akoto promises to establish party-owned businesses for NPP

    A flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has unveiled a business plan that aims to provide financial resources to the party and create employment opportunities for its members.

    The plan involves setting up businesses owned by the party at the national, regional and constituency levels.

    Dr Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, said these businesses would compete for contracts in the market and generate profits for the party and its members.

    He said this would end the suffering of the party members and make the party more robust and competitive in the global environment.

    He called his plan: ‘Linking party to government’.

    Interaction

    Dr Akoto shared his vision with the party delegates from the Cape Coast South constituency during his Central Regional campaign tour last week.

    The tour, which started at Gomoa West constituency, also took him to Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency.

    He was accompanied by two co-campaign Chairmen, Alfred Boye, a former Greater Accra NPP Regional Chairman, and Ken-Wuud Nuworsu, a former NPP Volta Regional Chairman; the National Coordinator of the campaign team, Peter Oteng Darko, and Campaign Spokesperson, Dr Prince Sodoke Amuzu.

    Dr Akoto, a former two-term Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso, told the delegates that workers in all the party-owned businesses would be party members.

    “At the constituency level, the managing director of the company will be the constituency chairman while the board members will be the council of elders or elders of the party.

    We [referring to the government] will award contracts to these businesses to make them profitable.

    You are going to be gainfully employed in this setup, and all your suffering will be a thing of the past”, he said.

    He added “with this machinery in place, when something happens at the constituency level, you don’t need to call anybody to bring their contributions because there will be enough to take care of contingency issues”.

    Deception

    Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto urged the delegates not to fall for candidates who promised to pay salary to polling station executives or give 10 appointments each to all the 275 constituencies if they became flag bearer of the party and President of Ghana.

    “Don’t let anyone deceive you of paying you salary when he is elected.

    It is a fallacy.

    What I have outlined is sustainable and the best way to resource you financially.

    My vision is the best.

    It is globally accepted and is done in the US, UK, and South Africa and all the advanced countries.

    When the companies are set up, we will give the contracts to executives to generate profit to take care of our members”, he explained.

    He further said none of his competitors had a better solution for their plight than him, stressing that “I have served the NPP well in all capacities and I feel your burden more than any other of the flag bearer aspirants.

    A vote for me will bring all these sufferings to an end because I understand what you are going through at the polling stations”.

  • Ghana’s banana hailed in Europe

    Three significant irrigation sites have been redeveloped by the Ghanaian government and the World Bank to accommodate various sorts of crops.
    The Kpong Left Bank near Torgome in the North Tongu district of the Volta region is one such location.
    To avoid the negative effects of climate change, agricultural enterprises would be protected year-round here, as they would be everywhere else.

    Now that the Torgome region has access to a necessary component for crop farming, it resembles the nectar described in the Bible as the land flowing with milk and honey.
    A call for prospectors received more responses than it could handle, yet 14 of the agribusinesses were chosen.

    The first to start operations on the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation is a French company that is cultivating bananas on approximately one-fifth of the 2,500 hectares of the serviced plots. The additional works had doubled cultivable lands.

    The French company, which speedily moved to the site, is aware of the potential. It is set to mark the 20th anniversary of similar operations on irrigated lands on the Kpong Right Bank. Its sole interest is banana farming on a commercial scale for export to Europe. On the left bank, newly planted crop seedlings are expected to gestate in 8 months.

    The Cameroonian farm manager, Jean-Marie Tchonang names labour and the painstaking agronomy associated with banana cultivation as the main challenges, but that which stands to be overshadowed by the rush on the produce once they hit the international market.

    Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto says, the amount of money sunk in the irrigation project is 34 million dollars, thus stakeholders must attach importance to it through cooperation and participation.

    He invited the Traditional ruler (Mankralor), Torgbui Gidi to meet with him for further discussion on how best the local population may be integrated into the project.

    French investors, Messrs Benjamin Rich and Olivier Chassang are not looking back on this mission on account of the country’s political stability and fertile lands. It is projected that the new site could offer 600 jobs, adding up to the existing 3,500 on the right bank. 100,000 tons of bananas are expected to be lifted in annual banana exports.

    The Banana Exporter guarantees the use of its export terminal at the Tema harbour by other food produce exporters, for good turnaround time and as a cost-cutting measure.

    Adding his voice, the Coordinator of the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project, GCAP, Mr Osei Owusu Agyemang said, if what you are seeing and hearing whets your appetite, it is time for you as a Ghanaian to brace up for the opportunity and become worthy partakers. He said agriculture is a very serious venture that requires that significant operators are given prestigious titles on the label “Ghanaian Farmer” as pertains in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and other places. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, he told Ghanaians.

    Cameroon and Cote D’Ivoire are the other locations of French Banana farms in Africa.

  • Agriculture Minister delighted with initiative “Planting for Food and Jobs”

    At the 38th National Farmers’ Day celebration, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, expressed enthusiasm for the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfJ) initiative.

    The program had aided farmers and fishermen in enhancing their food security, the Minister said during a speech at the ceremony held in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region.

    He continued by saying that the program had allowed the government to offer Gh2.5 billion in subsidies for better fertilizers and seeds from 2017 to 2021.

    “The farmers and fishers who we celebrate today have built this security by responding very favourably to the incentives provided by the government under the flagship programme “Planting for Food and Jobs. ”

    “In five years, 2017-2021, the Government provided ¢2.5 billion in subsidies on improved seeds and fertilisers alone in the food crop subsector,” he said.

    The Minister said that he had introduced two innovations regarding the Farmers’ Day since 2017.

    The introduction of an agricultural fair before the Day’s celebration and the regional capitals taking turns in hosting the event.

    Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto commended the farmers and fishers for their great works over the years.

    Fifteen farmers were given national awards for their distinguished services to the nation.

    President Akufo-Addo Akufo-Addo was the keynote speaker of the national climax durbar, held under the theme: “Accelerating Agricultural Development through Value Addition”.

    Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, a 43-year-old mixed farmer based at Juaben in the Ashanti Region, was adjudged the 2022 Overall National Best Farmer.

    The award-winner took home a cash prize of one million Ghana Cedis, tractor with implements, trailer, a boom sprayer, and other souvenirs.

    Nana Sarpong Siriboe has a 900-acre oil palm plantation, 200-acres of maize, over 17, 000 poultry birds, livestock and acres of cocoa, cassava cashew, mango and cowpea farms, with a total workforce of145.

    Professor Akwasi Asabere Ameyaw, a mixed-farmer based in the Techiman-North of the Brong-East Region, emerged the Second Runner-Up and was given a tractor with implements.

    Mr. Seth Agyei Fosu, also a mixed farmer based in the Kintampo-North of the Brong-East Region, took the First Runner-Up position, and received a tractor, trailer, Disc Plough and Boom Sprayer.

  • Agric Minister begins tour of Northern Ghana

    The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has begun a tour of northern Ghana.

    The tour which is the last leg of the minister’s regional working tours he started early on this year, will take him to the Upper West, Upper East, North East, Savannah and Northern regions.

    It comes on the heels of the celebration of National Farmers Day last Friday, December 2, 2022. Accompanying the minister on his tour are national directors of the MoFA.

    Addressing a staff durbar and stakeholders at the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council in Wa on Monday, December 5, 2022, Dr. Owusu Afriyie said he had already been to 11 regions, adding that “I am in the northern part of the country now to check agriculture matters; it is going to take about a week.”

    Agric Minister begins tour of Northern Ghana

    “I make it a point to visit each region in the country every year with all my directors to see how policies made in Accra have impacted on farmers outside Accra,” he explained.
    From the Upper West, the minister and his entourage will move to the Upper East region.

    On the issue of shortage of inorganic fertilisers, he reiterated that it was a global issue, hence he entreated farmers in the region to adopt organic fertilisers.

    Dr. Owusu Afriyie explained that the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) Market is an intervention by the government to help bring down the soaring prices of foodstuffs on the markets.

    “Prices of foodstuffs in the urban centres are ridiculous. We’re in the middle of harvest and prices of foodstuffs are expected to be reduced but it’s not so! We had to intervene, and honestly the PFJ Market [initiative] is doing well. We want to cut down prices of foodstuffs,” he stressed.

    From the Regional Coordinating Council, the minister and his entourage visited farm fields including Abu Dassan Ventures, the agro processing company dealing in groundnut paste, Tombrown, ‘banku’ mix, and ginger powder, among others.

    Agric Minister begins tour of Northern Ghana

    Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the minister’s visit, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Abu Dassan Ventures, Mumuni Dassah Issah spoke of plans to get the company’s products to every part of the country.

    “Bono East is where our sales are most generated. We are looking forward to ensure that our products get to every corner of the country,” he stated.

    According to him, his company has advanced measures to collaborate with the MoFA “So that some of our products will be given space on the PFJ Market.”

    “Our major challenges are lack of personnel, funding and infrastructure. We are appealing to the authorities to assist us with loan facilities at considerable interest rates to help us expand production and bring on board new projects,” he appealed.

    Early on, the Upper West Regional Director of Agriculture, Emmanuel Sasu Yeboah gave a presentation on the state of agriculture in the region.

    He underscored the fact that agriculture is the main source of livelihood for inhabitants of the Upper West region, revealing that the sector employs about 80% of rural dwellers in the region.

    “The farmers mostly produce staple food crops such as maize, rice sorghum, wheat, millet, cowpea, groundnut, yam etc…,” he noted.

    He added however, that shea butter, ‘dawadawa,’ mango, cashew and cotton remain major economic crops grown in the Upper West, along with livestock farming.

    Mr. Sasu Yeboah indicated that both the PFJ and the RFJ were boosting farm yields in the region compared to previous years.

    “Availability of the soya bean thresher has boosted soya been production and I can say Upper West Region can produce soya for export.”

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Ghana’s food security situation remains strong – Agric minister

    Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister for food and agriculture, claims that the Akufo-Addo administration’s policy reforms have contributed to the nation’s food security.

    Speaking at the National Farmers Day celebration on Friday, December 2, 2022 in Koforidua, the capital of the Eastern Regional Region, the Minister praised farmers for their efforts to improve the nation’s food security situation.

    The assistance of the Akufo-Addo administration for the agricultural sector was guaranteed by Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.

    “From my field visits so far my assessment is that the ongoing harvest will be good this year and our food security situation as a nation remains strong. Farmers and fishers whom we celebrate today have built this security by responding very favourably provided by government under the flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

    He added: “In the past five years – 2017 to 2021, the government of Nana Akufo-Addo has provided nearly GHC2.5 billion in subsidies on improved seeds and fertilizers alone.”

  • Farmers Day: Mahama commends farmers for their priceless efforts

    John Dramani Mahama, a former president of Ghana, has praised the country’s farmers for their selfless efforts in providing food for the people and industry.

    On Friday, December 2, 2012, all 16 regions of the nation participated in this year’s National Farmers Day celebrations, which also took place in Koforidua, the capital of the Eastern Regional Region.

    Farmers were recognised at the ceremonies with awards for their steadfast efforts over the years to advance agriculture in the nation.

    The former President urged President Akufo-Addo to prioritise agriculture in his message of praise for the farmers.

    “I celebrate all farmers on this auspicious occasion for their priceless efforts that feed us and keep our industries running.

    “With Ghana’s economy at the brink of collapse, as proven by Rating Agencies through their unending downgrades, and the hardship it has brought to many homes, this is the time for government to begin to take farmers and farming related businesses serious,” Mr. Mahama stated in a Facebook post on December 2, 2022.

    According to him “this is the surest way we can reduce imports, strengthen the struggling cedi and save Ghana’s economy.

    “I urge the government to prioritise agribusiness and support with favourable financing for farmers and all actors in the agricultural value chain.”

    Meanwhile, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has said there is food security in the country due to the policy interventions by the Akufo-Addo-led government.

    He also commended the efforts of farmers to consolidate the country’s food security situation.

    Addressing farmers in the Eastern region, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto assured of the Akufo-Addo administration’s support for the agriculture sector.

    “From my field visits so far my assessment is that the ongoing harvest will be good this year and our food security situation as a nation remains strong. Farmers and fishers whom we celebrate today have built this security by responding very favourably provided by the government under the flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme.”

    He added: “In the past five years – 2017 to 2021, the government of Nana Akufo-Addo has provided nearly GHC2.5 billion in subsidies on improved seeds and fertilizers alone.”

  • NAFCO lauds Ghanaian farmers for role in ensuring food security

    Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab, Chief Executive of National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), has praised Ghanaian farmers for their contribution to maintaining food security sustenance in Ghana despite threats from abroad and other difficulties.

    Mr. Abdul-Wahab has praised the government’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture for its policy initiatives, which led to the nation’s avoidance of what may have been a serious post-covid food crisis.

    In a statement to commemorate this year’s National Farmers Day, Mr. Abdul-Wahab claimed that the prolonged COVID outbreaks and their financial consequences in many nations, as well as the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, had exacerbated what he called “hungry seasons” that were already present in some regions of Africa, including the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.

    He cited in particular, the shortage in the supply of fertilizers, due to the Russia – Ukraine war which pushed the world to the brink of a global humanitarian and food crisis, creating higher prices for food.

    “In the face of these and other threats, the Ghanaian farmer was resolute and even showed more commitment to the nation and its people and therefore deserve our commendation”, the statement added.

    The statement however condemned excessive profiteering by intermediaries within the food supply chain which has increased prices of food even though food is in abundance in various parts of the country.

    The National Food Buffer Stock Company is among a number of agriculture-related institutions showcasing their activities and services at this year’s food and agriculture technology exhibition ongoing at the Jubilee Park in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

    The 4-day exhibition is a prelude to the grand durbar on 2nd December to climax the National Farmers Day celebration during which outstanding farmers in all sectors of the agriculture value chain will be honoured.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition on Tuesday, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said government will not relent in its effort to strengthen the country’s food security systems.

    He recounted several achievements as a result of the successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme since 2017.

    The Omanhene of New Juabeng Traditional Area, Nana Dr. Kwaku Boateng III who chaired the function called for increased application and reliance on science, research and innovations to transform the country’s agriculture.
    He also commended farmers for their hardwork and persistence over the years.

    This year’s National Farmers Day is the 38th since it was instituted by the PNDC government under former President J.J Rawlings in 1985.

    Osino in the Eastern Region hosted the first national celebration in 1985.
    This year’s event is under the theme “Accelerating agricultural development through value chain addition”.

  • Local traders accuse foreigners of illegally buying agro commodities from farm gates

    Many foreigners, particularly Chinese, Lebanese, and Indians, are allegedly breaking Ghanaian rules regarding the acquisition of agricultural products there.

    Despite the fact that the country’s laws forbid foreigners from directly purchasing agricultural products from farm gates, many foreigners are allegedly buying illegally from farm gates in the Northern region of Ghana, eluding local traders who are supposed to be in charge of purchasing from farmers according to the law.

    In WA, Tamale, Bimbila, Yendi, and Gushegu specifically, the Lebanese, Indians, and Chinese have been accused of buying directly at farm gates.

    A source who spoke on condition of anonymity says local traders are unhappy that the Chinese, Lebanese and Indians have been buying soya beans, cashew nuts, sheanuts, and maize directly at the farm gates.

    By law, foreigners are supposed to empower local traders who are to buy from the farm gates and sell to them (foreigners) in the cities.

    But the foreigners are now rather directly engaged in the buying process, the source added.

    Reports indicate that the Lebanese, Indians and Chinese are illegally bringing in their cash into the country to do the buying and are exporting the agro commodities through illegal means, thereby denying the Ghanaian government tax revenues and foreign exchange earnings.

    By buying directly from the farm gates and bypassing the local traders, Ghanaians in the value chain are said to be losing their jobs.

    Also, buying directly at the farm-gates is more like foreigners like Chinese engaging in retail business in Ghana, which is unlawful.

    Meanwhile, sources say local traders are hoping that the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto will intervene in the matter and put a stop to the foreigners engaging in direct purchasing at the farm gates.

  • Market at MoFA is a short-term intervention – Deputy Agric Minister

    Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong Addo, has stated that the ministry’s Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) market is a short-term mechanism to address the hikes in food prices on the market.

    The government established the PFJ Market as part of a scheme to induce price increases for staples on the market by conveying foodstuffs from food-producing areas and farm gates to the capital city, Accra, for sale at reduced prices.

    Five implementation modules make up the government of Ghana’s main agricultural initiative, Planting for Food and Jobs.

    Food crops, Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), greenhouse technology villages, Raising for Food and Jobs (RFJ), and Agricultural Mechanization Services are the five PFJ modules.

    Speaking to the media, Mr Addo asserted that the Agriculture Ministry is planning a long-term strategy that will endlessly cushion farmers and consumers.

    “This is a two-pronged approach: we want to save the farmers and urban dwellers.

    “It is for a period. You know these crops [yam and plantain]: when they come, between now and January, they are in abundance. So, that is where we want to take the situation, not to demotivate the farmers,” he added.

    Last Friday, November 11, 2022, the Ministry began selling food to civil and local government employees on its premises.

    A bunch of the plantain was sold minimum of GH₵10 and maximum of GH₵25.

    However, some individuals purchased plantains at the Agric Ministry’s premises and said the foodstuffs were expensive as compared to those available in open markets.

    On the other hand, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who was speaking on the floor of parliament on Wednesday, November 9, said some market women in Accra are charging customers exorbitant amounts for commodities purchased.

    According to him, the ministry’s inquiry into price formation has not uncovered any explanations for why food is so expensive at the retail level in various cities around the country.

    “There are speculations that it could be due to some traders making supernormal profits. It is something that has to be investigated but in terms of price formation analysis, there is nothing to justify the doubling or tripling of the retail price of food in the major cities.

    “Food accessibility in Ghana is also more than satisfactory. In recent times, price hikes of food commodities in the urban centres, particularly Accra, is creating an erroneous impression that food has become inaccessible,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the government’s Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has lauded the Agric Ministry for such an initiative.

    According to him, this will revive Ghana’s agricultural sector, adding that he believes the initiative will help yield phenomenal results in the coming years.

    “The Planting for Food and Jobs programme has been a very successful programme, I will tout it as the best policy for the president’s government.

    “Food is bulky. It has so many components and let’s say high transportation cost. So if anything happens on the world market to oil prices, you have a hit on food prices. Same applies to chemical inputs. These are not just for food, but it is for everything. [The current challenges] are not just in Ghana. It is a global phenomenon. That doesn’t mean that our programme is not successful,” he added.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • FLASHBACK: Ghana will not suffer food shortages – Agric Ministry

    The implementation of a new tax on electronic transactions was announced by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta a year ago during the presentation of the 2022 budget.

    The government has chosen to impose a fee on all electronic transactions to broaden the tax net and include the informal sector, the minister said as he delivered the 2022 budget statement to Parliament.
    The “Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy” will be used to refer to this.

    With the exception of inward remittances, which will be the recipient’s responsibility, all electronic transactions, including mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances, will be taxed at an applicable rate of 1.75%, he said.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Bagbara Tanko has urged Ghanaians to remain calm as the increase in food prices is not an indicator of possible food shortages in the coming days.

    According to him, the country experienced a prolonged drought last year and that affected yield, however, he disclosed the government managed to hold the country down and properly managed food resources.

    “This year, we have survived on last year’s yield up till the point where southern Ghana harvested from its major season. Although some challenges were faced, we had some harvests from the major season.

    “We have started the minor season for southern Ghana and are experiencing very good rains so our anticipation is that at the end of the minor season for the sector, we are going to have a bumper harvest,” he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.

    From engagement with local farms across the country, the Agric Ministry has the highest level of assurance that there is going to be a bumper harvest.

    “Reports received from our regional directors on the participation from the Planting for Food and Jobs and even commercial participation show that there will be a bumper harvest.

    “We will not be hungry and the increased harvest is sure to reduce the price of food because we will soon be in the midst of plenty. Northern Ghana has started harvesting and the crop season has been excellent. The floods didn’t have a significant effect on crop harvest.”

    Informing Ghanaians of other factors responsible for the increase in food prices, he stated, “Let’s also not forget that fuel prices can make the prices of goods and services soar and that we have no control over. But form our end as the Ministry of Agriculture, we are giving Ghanaians the assurance that there is no way we will be hungry or suffer famine.

    The communication officer of the Ministry clarified that the Minister for the sector has never disputed the fact that food prices have increased, but rather sought to justify the increase.

    Ghana in recent months has witnessed a sharp increase in food prices, including staples produce like beans, maize and millet.

    While some have attributed the increment to the hike in fuel prices, others believe it is the currency’s depreciation.

    But the government insists that food prices have not increased.

    The Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has disputed claims that food prices have skyrocketed.

    Speaking at a swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed members of the Irrigation Company of Upper Region (ICOUR), Dr Akoto stressed that statistics available to his outfit do not support the increment claims; thus, “it is a wrong perception.”

    Agric Minister said there was a “heavy drought” in the southern part of the country in 2020.

    Therefore, affecting the production of the cereal crop and other foodstuffs this year.

  • 2 out of 10 – Dr Nyaho Tamakloe scores government on performance of economy

    Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a suspended elder of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stated that the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo he has known over the years will not continue to mismanage Ghana as he is now doing.

    The government received a score of two out of ten from the retired military veteran and ambassador, suggesting that it is not operating under the direction of his friend.

    In an interview with Joy News, he claimed that although the nation’s economy has deteriorated, the government has been unable to cope.

    Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe responded, “I will rate them two out of 10,” when asked to rate the performance of the current administration.

    “We have retrogressed…when I say we are a failed state, I know what I am talking about. This government is not functioning…That surprises me because I know Nana Addo was not like that.

    “What has happened? I am surprised. The Nana Akufo-Addo that I know is not the one ruling Ghana now,” he explained.

    Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe noted that Ken Ofori-Atta, the embattled Minister of Finance should have resigned immediately the country decided to seek a bailout from the IMF.

    He stressed that if things were going well, the Minister of Agric, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, “who is a doctor of agriculture will not be engaging in cheap publicity”.

    There has been an increase in the prices of goods and services recently whiles transportation fares have also increased more than four times due to the increase in fuel prices.

    Ghana’s current inflation rate stands at an unprecedented 40.4%.

  • Dr Nyaho Tamakloe scores government 2 out of 10 on performance of economy

    A suspended elder of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has indicated that he does not believe the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo he has known over the years will be mismanaging Ghana like he is currently doing.

    The retired military man and ambassador also scored the government two out of 10, indicating that the government under the leadership of his friend is not functioning.

    He told Joy News in an interview that the country’s economy has slumped yet the government has failed to rise to the occasion.

    When asked to rate the performance of the current government, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said, “I will rate them two out of 10.”

    “We have retrogressed…when I say we are a failed state, I know what I am talking about. This government is not functioning…That surprises me because I know Nana Addo was not like that.

    “What has happened? I am surprised. The Nana Akufo-Addo that I know is not the one ruling Ghana now,” he explained.

    Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe noted that Ken Ofori-Atta, the embattled Minister of Finance should have resigned immediately the country decided to seek a bailout from the IMF.

    He stressed that if things were going well, the Minister of Agric, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, “who is a doctor of agriculture will not be engaging in cheap publicity”.

    There has been an increase in the prices of goods and services recently whiles transportation fares have also increased more than four times due to the increase in fuel prices.

    Ghana’s current inflation rate stands at an unprecedented 40.4%.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Govt’s decision to sell foodstuff at cheaper prices bold step to halt food hikes – Awal Mohammed

    Awal Mohammed, a member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) communications team, praised Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister of agriculture, for taking decisive action to lower food costs in the Ghanaian market.

    He thinks the Agric Ministry’s choice to sell food in Efua Sutherland Park at reasonable prices is a wise one that will assist control food costs at different markets.

    He thinks it will stop the relentless rise in food prices in the markets brought on by high transportation costs and guarantee that urban consumers pay fair rates.

    “So those in Accra think there is no food, but there is a lot of food, as you know. We only have to ensure that we get the price reduced for the people in Accra,” Awal Mohammed exclusively told Kwaku Owusu Adjei(Patoo) on Adwenepa on Accra-based Original TV.

    Food prices have been on the increase in the past few months; Awal Mohammed indicated that a lot of factors are contributing to the rise in food prices.

    These factors include fertilizer supply, cost of agricultural inputs, and transportation cost, among others.

    “The increase in the prices of foodstuff depends on a number of factors that we do not have control over that is why I support the step by the Agric Ministry to sell foodstuff at Efua Sutherland Park; it will help ease food hikes in the Ghanaian market,” he said.

    Awal Mohammed stated that the government’s flagship Planting for Jobs programme had a great impact on Ghana’s agric sector.

    Surges in global food prices continue to be of serious concern to governments all over the world, especially in developing countries, because of the devastating effects it has on food security for the poor and on the sustainable production of agricultural commodities.

  • Is Afriyie Akoto conversant with Ghana’s agricultural value chain? – Prof Kanton asks

    A former Research Scientist with the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Professor Roger Kanton, has questioned if the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto was conversant with the agricultural value chain in the country.

    He also wondered if the Minister has veered off his mandate and now ventured into the haulage, marketing and food distribution to Ghanaians.

    His comment comes on the back of the sale of foodstuff at the premises of the Agric Ministry on Friday, November 11, 2022.

    According to him, carting goods from farmers at farmgates was the responsibility of Ghana Buffer Stock and not the Agric Ministry.

    Speaking on Citi Breakfast Show on November 10, 2022, Prof Kanton said, “I want you to ask him, is that the mandate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture? Is there now going to be a constitutional shift in its mandate, to now go into haulage, marketing and food distribution.”

    He added that, “does he have the capacity, moving food from rural areas to urban centres, ask the Minister if he is conversant and acquainted with the agricultural value chain. The agricultural value chain has a lot of actors or players, so you cannot leave your chain and act on somebody’s chain.”

    “There is a whole organization that is tasked to take off excess food from farmers and that is the buffer stock, my question is how well they have functioned. They keep saying that there is enough food, then they should deploy people from buffer stock, why is he using his scanty resources as the technical ministry to wade into an area that they don’t have the competence…I find it to be a little bit bizarre,” he pointed out.

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture on Friday, November 11, 2022, began the sale of foodstuff to Ghanaians.

    According to the Ministry, the move was to sell foodstuff directly from the farmers in the rural areas to persons in the urban areas at a much cheaper rate.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • PFJ Market: Agric Ministry begins the sale of cheap foodstuff today

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture will begin the sale of ‘cheap’ foodstuff to Ghanaians today November 11, 2022.

    The move by the Ministry is to sell foodstuff directly from the farmers in the rural areas to persons in the urban areas.

    The PFJ market is sponsored by the Ministry and is purposed to cushion persons from the increasing cost of food commodities in the capital.

    Speaking at a meeting with farmers in Sefwi Wiaso in the Western North Region, sector Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said; “the ministry itself is going to take its own initiative.”

    “We are going to link up with the farm gate so that we make all the arrangements to ensure that we put up kiosks on our compounds at the ministry, specifically for food from here [Sefwi Wiaso] and we are going to give it a lot of publicity,” the minister said.

    Meanwhile, Ghana is recognized as the nation with the biggest increases in food prices by the World Bank.

    With a 122% increase in food prices, the nation has achieved the toughest achievement in sub-Saharan Africa.

    In recent months, food costs have risen significantly since the beginning of the year in a number of nations throughout the world, primarily as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    According to the World Bank, Ghana is the nation in Africa with the highest food prices. According to the World Bank’s October 2022 Africa Pulse report, Ghana is the sub-Saharan African nation with the highest rate of food inflation.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ‘Prices are a bit high’ – Civil servants compare prices at Agric Ministry food sale with those in public markets

    Some civil servants have expressed their disappointment with prices at the PFJ market.

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture began the sale of ‘cheap’ foodstuff to Ghanaians today November 11, 2022.

    The move, the Ministry noted, is to sell foodstuff directly from the farmers in the rural areas to persons in the urban areas at a much cheaper rate.

    However, some civil servants who partook in the sales have expressed their disappointment with the prices of the items.

    On sale today was fresh plantains, which sold for between 10, 15 and 20 cedis per bunch.

    The buyers said there was no difference between what is sold in the market.

    Speaking to JoyNews at the Agric Ministry where the exercise was held, a civil servant who works at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources said: “To me, it’s a good initiative but since I heard it was a pilot, we are expecting that the next bunch that will come, the price will really go down a bit. Last week I bought one bunch for 15 in the market. It was reasonable, looking at the size. So I can’t see any big difference between what is here and what is in the market.”

    She added: “My view is that maybe if you are coming from Amasaman, Pokuase to come to the Ministry, transportation is like 10 15 cedis, so I don’t see the point.”

    Another noted that: I wanted some perishable goods but unfortunately they are saying they are not going to bring anything of that sort. It’s a very good exercise but with the plantain I saw, I was expecting the price to be down, I did some comparisons and I realized that the prices here are a bit high, so if they can bring it down a bit for us.”

    The PFJ market is sponsored by the Ministry and is purposed to cushion persons from the increasing cost of food commodities in the capital.

    Speaking at a meeting with farmers in Sefwi Wiaso in the Western North Region, last week sector Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said; “the ministry itself is going to take its own initiative.”

    “We are going to link up with the farm gate so that we make all the arrangements to ensure that we put up kiosks on our compounds at the ministry, specifically for food from here [Sefwi Wiaso] and we are going to give it a lot of publicity,” the minister said.

    Meanwhile, Ghana is recognized as the nation with the biggest increases in food prices by the World Bank.

    With a 122% increase in food prices, the nation has achieved the toughest achievement in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • PFJ Market: Agric Ministry begins the sale of cheap foodstuff today

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture will begin the sale of ‘cheap’ foodstuff to Ghanaians today November 11, 2022.

    The move by the Ministry is to sell foodstuff directly from the farmers in the rural areas to persons in the urban areas.

    The PFJ market is sponsored by the Ministry and is purposed to cushion persons from the increasing cost of food commodities in the capital.

    Speaking at a meeting with farmers in Sefwi Wiaso in the Western North Region, sector Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said; “the ministry itself is going to take its own initiative.”

    “We are going to link up with the farm gate so that we make all the arrangements to ensure that we put up kiosks on our compounds at the ministry, specifically for food from here [Sefwi Wiaso] and we are going to give it a lot of publicity,” the minister said.

    Meanwhile, Ghana is recognized as the nation with the biggest increases in food prices by the World Bank.

    With a 122% increase in food prices, the nation has achieved the toughest achievement in sub-Saharan Africa.

    In recent months, food costs have risen significantly since the beginning of the year in a number of nations throughout the world, primarily as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    According to the World Bank, Ghana is the nation in Africa with the highest food prices. According to the World Bank’s October 2022 Africa Pulse report, Ghana is the sub-Saharan African nation with the highest rate of food inflation.

  • Current food prices in Accra over exaggerated- Agric Minister

    Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has intimated that even though the high cost of fuel has contributed to food price hikes recently, prices in urban centres, particularly Accra, are over exaggerated.

    The situation, he said, is creating the impression that food has become inaccessible in the country, which is not true.

    The Minister, in responding to questions on the Floor of parliament said: “Food accessibility in Ghana is also more than satisfactory. In recent times, price hikes of food commodities in the urban centres particular Accra, is creating an erroneous impression that food has become inaccessible.

    “I have just returned from a tour of regions in the southern belt of the country and I can assure you that prices in the urban centres particularly Accra, are a far cry from what obtains in particular production centres in the regions.”

    “Many attribute the high increases to the cost of fuel and transportation. Whereas this may be true to some extent, our analysis at the ministry review that it is over exaggerated.”

    He further added that his ministry, in a bid to manage the situation, is arranging to transport food from production centres directly to Accra.

    The move, he noted, will provide food at reasonable prices to the public and workers in the area.

    Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Ghana Statistical Service show inflation for October is more than 40 percent, a case which is largely driven by food and transportation prices.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Farmer Tribe Limited not licensed to import seeds – Agric Minister

    Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, Wednesday said the Farmer Tribe Company Limited is licensed to engage in retailing in the country but not to import seeds.

    The agrochemical company was duly registered with the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), as a retailer to sell seeds, on March 25, 2020, and had renewed its licence.

    “This can be verified at PPRSD of MoFA,” he said.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto said this in response to a question posed by Mr Abed-Nego Azumah Bandim, the Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu, on whether Farmer Tribe, an agrochemical and seed distribution company based in Tamale, was licensed by the Ministry to import and sell hybrid maize seeds in Ghana.

    He told Parliament that the company mobilised the hybrid maize seeds it sold from companies in Ghana engaged in the importation of seeds.

    “Mr Speaker, for emphasis, therefore, Farmer Tribe is a retailing company with no license to import seeds into the country,” he said.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto, therefore, urged farmers to petition him or other stakeholders for investigations and necessary actions against the company for any breach of business.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Government developing modalities to cart farm produce to Accra

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is finalizing the transportation arrangements for farm products from farmgates to Accra.

    The sector minister for agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, declared last week that the produce intended for the “agricultural market” would help keep food prices down and guarantee availability in the nation’s capital.

    All regional capitals will receive similar interventions.

    A technical committee was debating efficient ways to convey the produce and “critical inputs” for the program, a source at the Ministry told the Ghana News Agency.

    The source said the Ministry was also considering the option of transporting farmers to Accra for direct sales.

    It said the “agriculture market” was likely to start in December to ensure abundance of food during the yuletide.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto at an interactive session with farmers and inputs dealers at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region last week, noted that the prices of foodstuffs increased to about 10 folds when transported to the capital.

    The situation, he said, was creating artificial food shortage in the country.

    “The prices of food in Greater Accra are so high. One of you said the price of plantain from the farm gate to Sefwi Wiawso here increases about 3 folds. How about when they are taken to Accra?

    “It increases in about 10 folds. So those in Accra think there is no food but there is a lot of food as you know. We only have to ensure that we get the price reduced for the people in Accra,” he stated.

    The Year-on-Year inflation rate for September 2022 based on the 16 administrative regions was 37.2 per cent.

    The transition focuses on the pricing index and rate of inflation with a new reference period of 2021.

    The computational considerations transitioning from 10 to 16 administrative regions are readjustment of regional weights, replacement and inclusion of markets and outlets, variation in price reterence years and representative of items across regions.

    Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician, said for the month of September 2022, the general price level was 37.2 per cent higher than in September 2021.

    He said the month-on-month inflation between August 2022 and September 2022 was 2.0 per cent.

    Mr Annin said Eastern Region had the highest regional inflation rate of 47.1 per cent, while the Upper East Region had the lowest regional inflation rate of 22.9 per cent.

    He said the year-on-year inflation for September 2022 had domestic inflation of 35.8 per cent and imported inflation of 40. 7 per cent, food inflation of 37.8 per cent and non-food inflation of 36.8 per cent.

    The 2.0 per cent month-on-month inflation for September 2022, comprised of food inflation of 2.2 per cent and non-food inflation of 1.7 per cent.

  • ‘You’re the worst agric minister’ – Senyo Hosi mounts pressure on Afriyie Akoto to resign

    Senyo Hosi, the former CEO of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), has urged Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister of agriculture, to step down in order to prevent the sector’s impending collapse.

    Mr. Hosi produced and signed a statement in which he criticized the management of the ministry and the inefficiencies coming from the Minister’s office as being inadequate.

    Senyo Hosi stated, “Respectfully, the arm-chair analysis the Minister and/or MOFA conducts with a culture of “knowing everything,” without sufficient talks and engagements with industry, will take this country nowhere.

    He further accused the Ministry of Agriculture of ignoring several correspondences after a proposal by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Sagre Bambangi, was made seeking a collaboration “to help achieve a constructive example of investment success in rice production.”

    He continued that “if you were really concerned about the commercial and social viability of investments in the sector as you seem to express, you would have been more responsible than ignore communication from one of the biggest rice investors in that district, region and the country.

    “I, therefore, do not find your Ministry under the current leadership an honest policy partner in the development of my business to warrant any submission of my investment details for your consideration.”

    Senyo Hosi, who is also a rice farmer, declared the tenure of Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto as a complete failure due to his outfit’s “failure to structure the agricultural industry through policy to make it sustainably bankable and attractive for investment, to achieve the transformation we seek as a country.”

    He also dared the minister to inform Ghanaians of the major subsectors within the agriculture sector that have been effectively de-risked, restructured and nurtured to promote sustainable investment and make Ghana a leader in that space.

    In his concluding remarks, Senyo Hosi called on Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto to conduct an audit on the production yield, investment, and subsidy deployment information published by the ministry.

    “I find it most unfortunate that despite being led by a Ph.D. Agric-economist, the analytical capacity of the MOFA is one of mediocrity. Just so you are reminded, despite the presence of MOFA in practically every district in the country, it is the Minister’s methodology that the distribution of fertilizer equals a given quantum of employment.

    “Since when did the distribution of fertilizer become a yardstick for acquiring employment data on a major policy intervention as the Planting for Food and Jobs?” Senyo Hosi quizzed.

    Mr Hosi’s letter was however in response to an earlier press statement issued on October 30, 2022, by the Ministry of Agriculture, in response to remarks and arguments Senyo Hosi made at a recently held agribusiness dialogue in Accra.

  • Food price hikes: Agric Ministry to sell foodstuff at cheaper prices in Accra

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is about to start selling food inside its facilities to serve the people of Accra as part of its efforts to regulate food prices.

    The goods will be transported to the ministry from the farms and sold to customers at a lower cost.

    Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the sector minister, stated during a meeting with farmers in Sefwi Wiaso, in the Western North Region, “the ministry itself is going to take its own initiative.”

    “We are going to link up with the farm gate so that we make all the arrangements to ensure that we put up kiosks on our compounds at the ministry, specifically for food from here [Sefwi Wiaso] and we are going to give it a lot of publicity,” the minister said.

    Meanwhile, Ghana is recognized as the nation with the biggest increases in food prices by the World Bank.

    With a 122% increase in food prices, the nation has achieved the toughest achievement in sub-Saharan Africa.

    In recent months, food costs have risen significantly since the beginning of the year in a number of nations throughout the world, primarily as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    According to the World Bank, Ghana is the nation in Africa with the highest food prices. According to the World Bank’s October 2022 Africa Pulse report, Ghana is the sub-Saharan African nation with the highest rate of food inflation.

  • Government’s plan to sell farm produce at Agric Ministry unsustainable – ESOKO

    The Ministry of Agriculture’s projected initiative to transport food to urban centers, according to ESOKO, an online agricultural marketing and messaging service, is unsustainable and only good for a limited time.

    According to Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, his Ministry will test the sale of farm products at farm gate pricing at its Directorate.

    Mr. Afriyie Akoto remarked that the move is based on an appeal from a cross-section of farmers he met while on his working trip of the Western North and Western Regions in an interview with Kwame Malcolm on Empire FM in the Western Region.

    But speaking to Starr News, the Content Manager for ESOKO Pricing Group, Francis Danso Agyei stated that the initiative comes with some costs that will make it unsustainable as a long-term project.

    “When they (market women) go for it from the producers they also have the cost of transportation. Then the cost of adding value and grading all that is a cost to them. Before they transport to the market and while on the market they have other costs that they will pay for, toll and all that are costs that come to them.

    “They will also add their margin and then pass it on to the consumer. So if the government wants to be a player it means that the government will also pay for all these things. I don’t know how much the government will want to add as a margin onto the produce and then pass it on to the consumer. But they will also have to bear all these costs,” Mr. Agyei stated.

    He continued: “So the proposal is good in the short run but as things move and drag on. What are the volumes of food coming in. Because if you have large volumes it is going to force the other players to also try and then reduce what they are selling to match up to the government.”

    The Content Manager for ESOKO further added that the government’s volume of products will be little and insignificant on the market which cannot drag prices down.

  • Agric Minister tours Western, Western North, Central, Oti & Volta regions

    The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, on Monday, October 31, 2022, resumed his regional working tour to the Western, Western North, Central, Volta, and Oti Regions.

    The second leg of the working tour comes on the heels of similar successful ones undertaken early this year to other regions in the country.

    The visit will largely afford the Minister the chance to interact with farmers, input dealers, directors amongst others.

    His first port of call was the Western North Region where Dr. Afriyie Akoto allayed the fears of poultry farmers, stressing that the government was poised to combat the bird flu outbreaks.

    According to him, the disease affected farmers in regions including Western, Western North, Central, Volta and Oti Regions.

    He disclosed that a total of 280 farms have so far been affected by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) with 997,743 birds destroyed.

    He also stated that the government had paid some GHS15,630,913.33 as compensation to affected poultry farmers.

    To control the disease, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said the government had approved an amount of GHS43,984,017.70 out of which twenty million Ghana cedis had already been released.

    He further noted that approval has also been given to recruit one thousand one hundred (1,100) veterinary officers, stating that out of the 1,100, 550 have been recruited and posted.

    He said the remaining 550 were yet to be recruited and posted within a period of two years.
    In this vein, the Minister advised farmers against accepting birds or eggs from other farms onto their farms.

    He also admonished the poultry farmers to ensure thorough washing with soap and water immediately after handling birds, urging them to confine their birds from other birds.

    He called on the farmers to regularly wash poultry equipment and bury or burn dead birds and keep waste away from the farmhouse.

    For his part, the Director of the Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD) at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Patrick Abakeh, cautioned that compensations for bird flu-infested farms will not be paid to farmers who fail to register with the VSD.

    He, therefore, called on the farmers to register their farms with the VSD. This, he explained, will give the authorities the knowledge on the number of farmers and quantity of birds affected.
    Additionally, he asked the farmers to acquire certification from the VSD to qualify them for compensation following the bird flu outbreaks.
    From Western North, the Minister will continue his tour of the Western Region, Central, Oti and Volta.

  • Agric minister begins 2nd leg of regional tours

    On Monday, October 31, 2022, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister of food and agriculture, began his regional working tour.

    After a series of successful working tours to various parts of the nation earlier this year, the second leg has just been completed.

    The minister will have the chance to speak with farmers, input merchants, and directors during the visit.

    Dr. Afriyie Akoto, who stressed that the government was prepared to tackle the bird flu outbreaks, calmed the anxieties of poultry producers during his first port of visit in the Western North Region.

    According to him, the disease affected farmers in Western, Western North, Central, Volta and Oti Regions.

    He disclosed that a total of 280 farms have so far been affected by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) with 997,743 birds destroyed.

    He also stated that the government had paid some GHS15,630,913.33 as compensation to affected poultry farmers.

    To control the disease, Dr Afriyie Akoto said the government had approved an amount of GHS43,984,017.70, of which GHS20,000,000.00 had already been released.

    He further noted that approval has also been given to recruit some 1,100 veterinary officers, stating that, 550 out of the 1,100, have already been recruited and posted.

    He said the remaining 550 were yet to be recruited and posted within a period of two years.

    In this vein, the Minister advised farmers against accepting birds or eggs from other farms onto their farms.

    He also admonished the poultry farmers to thoroughly wash down with soap and water immediately after handling birds, urging them to confine their birds from other birds.

    He called on the farmers to regularly wash poultry equipment, bury or burn dead birds, and keep waste away from the farmhouse.

    For his part, the Director of the Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD) at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr Patrick Abakeh, cautioned that compensations for bird flu-infested farms will not be paid to farmers who fail to register with the VSD.

    He, therefore, called on the farmers to register their farms with the VSD. This, he explained, will give the authorities the knowledge on the number of farmers and quantity of birds affected.

    Additionally, he asked the farmers to acquire certification from the VSD to qualify them for compensation following the bird flu outbreaks.

    From Western North, the Minister will head to the Western, Central, Oti and Volta regions.

  • Government is seeking legislation to ensure banks support agriculture sector – Minister

    According to proposed law by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, bankers must allocate at least 20% of their loan portfolios to the agricultural industry.

    This action aims to get over banks’ reluctance to lend to the agricultural industry.

    Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister of food and agriculture, stated that banks needed to support the growth of the agricultural industry.

    He stated that the ministry is presently waiting for Cabinet clearance before designing the policy that would require banks to reserve a specific portion of their loan books to finance the farm industry.

    “Over the last decade, lending to agriculture by financial institutions averaged 3.5 per cent. A proposal for legislation requiring commercial banks to increase loanable funds to agriculture has been sent to Cabinet. When approved, we will go to parliament with a bill to make a law that can compel banks in the country to, at least, earmark 20 per cent of their loans into the agriculture sector,” he said.

    The Minister, who was speaking at a business forum organised by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in Accra, said the move had become a necessity as banks continued to shy away from financing agribusinesses with the excuse that the sector was too risky.

    Commenting on the minister’s announcement, AGI president Dr Humphrey Ayim-Darke said: “It is laudable, it is good, and we will support it fully to ensure that each commercial bank sets aside a certain percentage of their loan portfolio to support the agriculture sector”.

    The forum was on the theme: “Resuscitating Ghanaian Industries to Address the Current Economic Challenges, the Trend and the Way Forward. It aimed to discuss practical actions the government is taking to support industrial development in these difficult times.

  • Nigeria, Cameroon express interest in joining Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana cocoa initiative

    The two top cocoa-producing nations in the world, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, have expressed interest in joining an alliance for commercial cooperation on cocoa. Nigeria and Cameroon have also expressed interest.

    The two West African nations think that joining the project will strengthen the alliance’s efforts to provide better prices and compensation for cocoa growers.

    At a meeting of the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) Steering Committee in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the respective representatives of Nigeria and Cameroon made this statement.

    The initiative was set up following a declaration by the Presidents of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to harmonise the cocoa trading strategies of the two countries to improve the incomes of cocoa farmers in the two countries in the wake of persistently low cocoa prices on the world market.

    The initiative has so far instituted the Living Income Differential (LID), the component of the cocoa trading mechanism operated by the two producer countries, which ensures that every tonne of cocoa beans sold attracts an extra $400.00 which is paid to farmers.

    Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture and outgoing Chairman of the Steering Committee, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto welcomed the move by the two countries and said CIGCI will take the prospective members through the processes laid down to admit new members.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto indicated that the need for a better price for cocoa farmers cannot be overemphasized. Hence, any attempt to grow the alliance and strengthen its drive to improve farmer income is welcome.

    The two countries joining Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire will create an alliance of countries, whose total cocoa production constitutes 75 per cent of the world’s supply.

    The Nigerian delegation was led by Engr. A. H. Abubakar the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture and Chairman of Nigeria’s Cocoa Management Committee.

    Mr. Michael Ndoping the Chief Executive Officer of Cameroon’s National Office of Cocoa and Coffee led the Cameroonian delegation.

  • Government to force banks to cede 20% loan portfolio to agric; seeks legislation

    A law that would require bankers to allocate at least 20% of their loan portfolios to the agricultural industry is what the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is attempting to pass.

    The initiative was announced by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who urged that banks must utilize a portion of their “supernormal profits” to promote development of the agriculture sector. It is an effort to overcome banks’ reluctance to offer loans to agribusinesses.

    The ministry, he disclosed, is currently awaiting approval from Cabinet to design the policy that will make it compulsory for banks to set aside a certain percentage of their loan books to finance the agriculture sector.

    “Over the last decade, lending to agriculture by financial institutions averaged 3.5 percent. A proposal for legislation requiring commercial banks to increase loanable funds to agriculture has been sent to Cabinet. When approved, we will go to parliament with a bill to make a law that can compel banks in the country to, at least, earmark 20 percent of their loans into the agriculture sector,” he said.

    He spoke during a business forum by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in Accra, and said the move has become a necessity as banks continue to shy away from financing agribusinesses with the excuse that the sector is too risky.

    The minister’s concerns are not in isolation. Earlier this month, data from the Development Bank Ghana (DBG) indicated that support from universal banks toward agribusiness finance remains insignificantly low at 4 percent.

    This, according to the bank’s deputy Chief Executive Officer Michael Mensah-Baah, calls for action and maximum desire for financial institutions to intervene in the agriculture value chain financing so as to position the sector to thrive.

    “If you do not have the resources, it is very difficult to make commitments into the sector. Secondly, lack of understanding risks in the agricultural sector is making most banks shy away from making investments into the sector,” he said.

    Meanwhile, many market watchers and industry players are of the view that most banks still consider agriculture-related businesses, particularly farming, as being too risky – and would rather finance businesses that are into imports or buying and selling.

    This is despite the existence of the Ghana Incentive-based Risk-sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL). GIRSAL works by de-risking agricultural financing for financial institutions through issuing agricultural credit guarantee instruments to enhance the total amount of credit for the agricultural and agribusiness sectors.

    Though blessed with vast arable land, Ghana’s annual food and agriculture imports reached around US$1.9billion in 2021, as most farmers operate on a peasant-subsistence basis due to lack of credit to expand their operations. Food imports weigh heavily on the economy.

    For instance, it is one of the major drivers of the cedi’s persistent depreciation. This year alone, food inflation has been a major concern for Ghanaians; partly owing to the unstable global food and oil markets.

    Against this backdrop, government sees legislation as the only way of getting banks to commit a significant share of their loan books to the sector that employs a majority of the country’s workforce. The policy, if approved by parliament, will help boost domestic food production and help the majority of smallholder farmers’ transition to large-scale production.

    Commenting on the minister’s announcement, AGI president Dr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke said: “It is laudable, it is good; and we will support it fully to ensure that each commercial bank sets aside a certain percentage of their loan portfolio to support the agriculture sector”.

    Business forum

    The forum was themed ‘Resuscitating Ghanaian Industries to Address the Current Economic Challenges, the Trend and the Way Forward’. Its aim was to discuss practical actions government is taking to support industrial development in these difficult times.

  • Call Afriyie Akoto ‘to order’; don’t let him sell Giffard Road land – Minority to Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Akufo-Addo must immediately stop all plans to sell parcels of prime Giffard Road land to private developers, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said.

    According to the minority caucus, the ministry of agriculture and the lands commission intend to sell a portion of the area, which hosts the agriculture mechanisation centre.

    “To think that this land will suffer the wanton dissipation of compulsorily-acquired state land breaks my heart and I think that President Akufo-Addo must stop this,” Mr Iddrisu said.

    He said the president must call his “good friend” the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, “to order” if the latter has plans to sell the property.

    “That land must be preserved in our national security interest,” he added.

    “The President, if he has doubts as to what I am saying, must commence a full-scale public investigation into the status of this land.”

     

  • Leverage partnerships to tackle challenges in agribusiness – US Ambassador

    Ambassador Virginia Evelyn Palmer, United States Ambassador to Ghana, has called on stakeholders in the agribusiness sector to leverage partnerships to tackle challenges hindering the growth and development of the sector.

    She noted, particularly the difficulties in accessing agribusiness financing in the country and, therefore, said working together could possibly expand access to affordable and commercial financing for farmers and agribusinesses, thereby promoting food security and sustainable economic growth.

    Ambassador Palmer made the call when she addressed the 2022 Agribusiness Investment Summit held in Accra on the theme: “Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Agricultural Financing,” organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported Feed the Future Ghana Mobilizing Finance in Agriculture (MFA) Activity.

    The Summit provided a platform for stakeholders in the agribusiness space to share information and knowledge on innovative agricultural financing in the country and showcased economically viable agribusiness investment opportunities in the maize, soy, groundnut, cowpea, mango, pineapple, cashew, and shea value chains.

    Ambassador Palmer expressed concern about economic challenges confronting the country and called on the government to adopt steps to improve the nation’s macro-economic conditions.

    “It is a challenging time for farmers and the finance sector, in particular because of high inflation and depreciation of the cedi. Additionally, fertilizer prices have been high, reducing usage which could lead to smaller yields in the coming months”, she said.

    The US government, she indicated, was creating opportunities to promote job creation and support of incomes in the country.

    “In just the past two months, our programmes facilitated US$16 million in financing through 15 financial institutions.

    This financing in turn supported more than 7,500 agribusinesses, including 3,600 female-led enterprises”, Ambassador Palmer added.

    In a speech on his behalf, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, entreated financial institutions to support the development of climate-smart agriculture interventions to increase food productivity.

    This would help financial institutions to manage climate change risks in agricultural lending, he said, adding “agricultural financing needs to be innovative to attract private capital and deepen the resilience of agriculture finance markets.”

    Dr. John Apontuah Kumah, a Deputy Minister of Finance, said the government had adopted a paradigm shift to transform agricultural financing to reposition the sector and make it a true driver for sustainable economic growth and development.

    He said the Ministry had created a special unit to liaise with key sector players for collection of data, policy analysis on the agriculture sector, and research on agribusiness financing options to boost commercial agriculture in the country.

    Dr. Victor Antwi, the Chief of Party of MFA Activity, said the Activity would help mobilize more than US$260 million in financing for the agribusiness sector.

    He announced “in approximately two years of the activity, MFA has mobilized over US$178.5 million (72.5 percent from commercial banks) for 18,636 farmers and agribusinesses, including 54 per cent female-led agribusinesses in the country.

    The Activity is also implementing a US$2.77 million COVID-19 Relief and Resilience Challenge Fund to benefit more than 29,000 smallholder farmers with 66 per cent being women, Dr. Antwi stated.

  • Global food crisis: EU allocates EUR10m to Ghana

    A further EUR 10 million has been pledged by the European Union (EU) to Ghana in order to assist “the most vulnerable communities” who are being affected by the unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

    The Deputy Head of the European Union Mission to Ghana, Mr. Pieter Smidt Van Gelder, announced the new Special Measure in Accra and stated: “These additional monies will enable households to cultivate crops, generate income, and enhance food availability on local markets.
    By encouraging sustainable food production and fortifying integration into local and national food value chains, the EU’s assistance will also help Ghanaian farmers become more crisis-resistant.

    The allocation will support the sustainable development of a number of agribusiness value chains, including shea, soybean, beekeeping, and vegetables, the two parties announce in a joint statement.

    “This will complement efforts by the Ghanaian government to mitigate further increases in poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in vulnerable areas affected by high prices of food, fertiliser, and fuel”.

    Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, commented: “With this Special Measure we will strengthen our support to address our food security needs while contributing to sustainable and resilient food systems.”

    Also, Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, intimated: “We as a country have been faced with a number of challenges in recent times. The COVID-19 pandemic and lately Russia – Ukraine war have particularly had worrying effects on Ghana’s economy. The conflict has resulted in a rapid increase in the prices of food, fuel and fertilizer, with its attendant consequences on the country’s foreign exchange reserves used to purchase commodities imported for public consumption as well as inputs for industries. Food inflation continues to contribute highly to overall inflation. Ghana’s inflation for September 2022 stood at 37.2% with food inflation contributing largely at 37.8%”.

    The support will focus on the Northern part of Ghana with the following outcomes:

    More economically sustainable and inclusive food systems
    Reinforced environmental sustainability of food systems
    Enhanced social sustainability and gender responsiveness of food systems (incl. Food and nutrition security) and
    Improved governance and institutional sustainability of food systems

    Background

    A recent study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) indicates that the global food, fuel, and fertiliser crisis linked to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has caused GDP and employment in Ghana to contract.

    These GDP and employment losses largely originate from Ghana’s agri-food system, both on-farm (primary agriculture) and off-farm (food processing, food trade and transport, and food services).

    Employment losses are especially large in the off-farm environment (-2.6%), with losses concentrated in the food processing and food trade and transport sectors.

    Considering that Ghana’s food production has traditionally been well integrated with local, regional, and global markets, these losses will severely impact local and regional markets in a highly food-insecure region, also affected by climate change and erratic rainfalls.

    For example, nominal maize prices in Accra rose 65% between September 2021 and May 2022.

    Overall, these price shocks have resulted in a decline in consumption for all households in Ghana, especially affecting lower-income households.

    This is also leading to greater poverty, particularly in rural areas.

    This current EUR10m allocation to Ghana represents the commitment of the EU and Member States Team Europe approach to mobilising political, policy and financial means to safeguard food security today while transitioning to more resilient food systems tomorrow.

  • ‘Galamsey’ fight: ‘Yes, you say that we have failed’ but there’s still hope – Agric minister

    The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has admitted that the government is currently failing in the fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

    He, however, said that the government remains unwavering in its resolve to stop ‘galamsey’ and it is confident that it will end the menace soon.

    “… yes, you say that we have failed in galamsey but it is an ongoing battle. And we think that, as a government, we are going to win at the end of the day.

    “Because there is a lot of goodwill amongst the stakeholders. The traditional authorities and other stakeholders know the harmful effect of galamsey on all aspects of life. So, ultimately, we will get together to control it,” Dr. Afriyie Akoto told journalists at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, October 10, 2022.

    The minister also refuted the assertions that ‘galamsey’ is crippling Ghana‘s food production and has particularly destroyed many cocoa farms, leaving just a little.

    “… if you are talking about little of cocoa, it is not a little. Galamsey is nibbling at the edges because COCOBOD has done a survey which shows that 2 percent of areas under cocoa are being affected by galamsey. 98 percent is not little left,” he noted.

    Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has refuted suggestions that his government is not committed to the fight against illegal small-scale mining (‘galamsey’).

    According to Akufo-Addo, his government has been committed to the fight against the menace since his first day in office and its determination to curb it even cost his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), some votes in the 2020 General Elections.

    The president, who made these remarks at a meeting with the National House of Chiefs and some Municipal Metropolitan and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Kumasi, intimated that the votes he and his party lost showed that he really put his presidency on the line to fight ‘galamsey’.

    “Since I took office on January 7th, 2017, nearly six years ago, I have made it a central feature of my presidency to lead in the fight to rid our country of this menace, which we all now call galamsey. Indeed, it was an important aspect of my inaugural address that day. It has not been easy; it has not been popular and we have not gotten the immediate results that I was looking for.

    “Indeed, in the last election of 2020, my stance on the issue cost my party and I significant losses in the mining communities. It turned out that my statement that I was putting my presidency on the line in the fight against galamsey was neither bumbazed nor reckless. It was the simple truth,” he said.

    Akufo-Addo also urged chiefs across the country to get themselves into the fight against illegal small-scale mining since they are the custodians of land in the country.

  • 21% increase in cocoa price insult to farmers – PNC

    According to the People’s National Convention (PNC), the government’s 21% increase in the producer price of cocoa is an insulting and disrespectful act.

    “The difficulty in the economic system which is substantiated by the high cost of goods and the continuous increase in petroleum products should have compelled the cocoa board to increase the price of cocoa for the 2022/2023 cocoa season to at least 40%,” said Mark Ewusi Arkoh, national youth organizer for the PNC.
    Instead of GHS 800.00, this would have increased cocoa prices to a minimum of GHS 925.00.

    According to the PNC, the “increment is a pittance compared to the hard toil of the Ghanaian Cocoa Farmer this season” urging COCOBOD as a matter of urgency to review the price upward.

    The statement said the country risks losing farms to galamsayers as some farmers have already been reportedly selling off their farms to galamseyers.

    “Farmers find it difficult to manage the proceeds from this price. If cocoa farmers are not happy, productivity in this sector is also negatively affected. Many farmers are getting disappointed by the day.

    “That being said, the government should quickly come in to review this price increment not only to save our third-best export commodity but
    to save our water bodies.”

    Background

    The government has pegged the producer price for cocoa at GH¢800 per bag of 64kg.

    The new price takes effect Friday, October 7, 2022, for the 2022-2023 crop season.

    The upward adjustment shows a 21 percent increase from GH¢10,560 per tonne to GH¢12,800 per tonne.

    Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto announced at a press briefing in Accra Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

  • Galamsey could cause ban of our cocoa beans on international market – Agric Minister

    The country’s cocoa industry is in grave danger as a result of unlawful small-scale mining (galamsey), according to Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.

    The minister claimed in an interview with Kumasi-based Luv FM that galamsey might result in a ban on Ghana’s cocoa if ever levels of cyanide, mercury, and other toxins are found in the beans.

    He acknowledges that the potential ban will have an impact on the economics of the nation because cocoa exports are a significant source of foreign cash.

    “It is very important. It is the water pollution, cyanide and other chemicals, mercury that go into the food chain and ends up in our stomachs.

    “To me, that is the most dangerous part, it is not the quantity but it is the negative environmental impact…If we send a consignment of cocoa to say Belgium and they tested and find any trace, they could ban our cocoa exports.

    “So it is not so much the impact of the production as to endangering our international trade, and the only thing we have is cocoa.

    “Immediately, the danger of these cyanide and these very dangerous chemicals going into our products, which we send abroad, will endanger our export earnings which for me is the biggest concern,” Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto stated.

    The Agric Minister is not the only one to warn of the possible international ban on Ghana’s cocoa beans. Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah in a post earlier this week, cautioned of a similar situation when he posted on Facebook that Ghana’s cocoa and coffee could be banned from the EU under new rules.

    However, the European Union in Ghana has allayed fears of a ban adding that the new legislation is to be used as a check to improve the quality of cocoa beans from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire – the two world leaders in export of the product.

    “There is no EU ban on Ghanaian cocoa. On the contrary, we want more. The EU regulation would be used as an opportunity to improve the quality of cocoa from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. And we are helping these two countries to meet sustainability expectations,” it tweeted on October 4.

    Ghana has been waging war on the activities of illegal miners however it is widely believed that the fight has not yielded the desired results.

    The discolored nature of water bodies as well as general environmental degradation has been used as a testament to the failed fight.

  • Stop politicizing pricing of cocoa – COCOBOD to Ato Forson

    Attempts to politicize cocoa prices, according to COCOBOD’s head of public affairs, Fiifi Boafo, will not be beneficial to Ghana.

    The Ghana Cocoa Board’s (COCOBOD) Fiifi Boafo, the director of corporate affairs, has warned Cassiel Ato Forson, the ranking member of the parliament’s finance committee, to refrain from any attempts to politicise the cost of cocoa.

    Ato Forson said the 21% increase in the producer price of cocoa, which has been pegged at GHC800 per bag is too small.

    Talking to the sit-in host of The Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (6 October), Boafo said such utterances will not inure to the benefit of Ghana.

    “Ato Forson said the cocoa day event that was organised, was poorly attended, an event that had over 2,000 persons present, that tells you what he sought to portray,” Boafo said.

    “He made a point that, if you juxtaposed what Ivorian farmers are receiving and what Ghanaian farmers are receiving, we should pay our farmers more.

    “I don’t think we should politicise pricing of cocoa because if you do so, it does not inure to the benefit of our country,” Boafo said.

    Cocoa producer price increased by 21% per tonne

    Meanwhile, the government has increased the producer price of cocoa to GHC12, 800.00 per tonne, which translates into GHC800 per bag of 64 kg gross weight for the 2022/ 2023 cocoa crop season.

    This represents an increase of 21% from GHC10, 560 per tonne, taking effect from Friday 14 October 2022.

    Announcing the new cocoa price, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister for Food and Agriculture, and chairman of the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), said that the new producer price of cocoa represents 89.99% of the net freight on board (FOB) value.

    “The 21% rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to the government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative. The government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient, and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive,” Afriyie Akoto said.

    Last year, government maintain the producer price at GHC660 as the farm-gate price for a bag of 64kg of cocoa for the 2021/2022 crop season. This was in spite of the fall in the world market price of cocoa, among other factors, such as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.

    In effect, the decision maintained the producer price at GHC105, 600 per tonne, representing 87.15% of the FOB value, as a demonstration of its commitment to improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.

    Mass spraying

    The minister assured farmers that government will continue to assist cocoa farmers through the mass spraying program to control pests and diseases and the rehabilitation of infected cocoa farms.

    In order to boost farm productivity, the government will also help cocoa farmers by making necessary inputs like fertilizers available for purchase. The government is committed to continuing to offer high-yielding, early-bearing, and drought-tolerant planting materials that have received certification.

    “The government will also assist cocoa farmers by making the requisite inputs such as fertilizers available for farmers to buy to increase farm productivity. Government is committed to continuing to supply certified planting materials that are drought tolerant, early bearing and high-yielding,” he said.

    EU due diligence

    To help the country comply with EU due diligence requirements, the government is developing the Cocoa Management System (CMS) through COCOBOD.

    The minister noted that the government is still committed to preventing child labour and deforestation from occurring during the production of Ghanaian cocoa.

    After its completion, the CMS will create a legally binding national traceability system that will be open and accountable. By doing this, it will be possible to trace every single batch of Ghanaian cocoa beans back to the farm where they were grown. According to the EU’s due diligence requirements, this is a crucial requirement.

    “Once completed, the CMS will establish a national mandatory traceability system that will be transparent and accountable. This will ensure that all Ghana cocoa beans are traceable from the port of shipment to the plot of land that produced the beans. This is a key requirement under the European Union Due Diligence requirements,” he said.

    “I am pleased to inform you that the first component of the CMS, which involves the establishment of a reliable farmer database (farm mapping and enumeration), is expected to be completed by the end of October 2022,” the minister stated.

     

  • Government increases cocoa producer price by 21 per cent

    Government has increased the Producer Price of Cocoa by 21 per cent for the 2022/2023 crop season.

    This translates into GH₵12,800 per metric tonne up from GH₵10,560. The new price takes effect from Friday October 7, 2022.

    Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister of Food and Agriculture announced the price at a press conference in Accra.

    The producer price represents 89.99 per cent of the net FOB value. This figure translates into GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg. gross weight.

    He said the 21 per cent rise in the producer price of

    cocoa was a testament to the Government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative.

    The Minister said the Government would continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient, and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities would thrive.

    He said to ensure a decent standard of living for Ghanaian cocoa farmers after retirement, the Government would from November 2022 move from the pilot phase to the implementation phase of the Cocoa Farmers pension scheme.

    Dr Akoto said the Committee had also approved the rates and fees for all other stakeholders in the supply chain.

    These include the Buyers margin, Hauliers’ rate, warehousing, and internal marketing costs, as well as fees for disinfestation, grading and sealing and scale inspection.

    He said the Government would continue to support

    cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme (Mass Spraying) and rehabilitation of diseased cocoa farms.

    “The Government will also assist cocoa farmers by making the requisite inputs such as fertilizers available for farmers to buy to increase farm productivity,” he added.

    The Minister said the Government was committed to continuing to supply certified planting materials that are drought tolerant, early bearing and high yielding.

    He said the European Union would soon legislate Regulations on due diligence on Deforestation and Forest Degradation and this placed enormous responsibility on the country to ensure that cocoa was sustainably produced in Ghana.

    “Issues of deforestation and forest degradation remain important in meeting the EU due diligence requirements,” he said.

    He said the Government had not relented in ensuring that cocoa produced in Ghana was free from deforestation and child labour.

    Dr Akoto said the Government through COCOBOD was developing the Cocoa Management System (CMS) to enable Ghana to meet the EU due diligence requirements.

    Once completed, the CMS will establish a national mandatory traceability system which will be transparent and accountable.

    This will ensure that all Ghana cocoa beans are traceable from the port of shipment to the plot of land that produced the beans.

    He said this was a key requirement under the European Union Due Diligence requirements.

    The Minister said the first component of the CMS, which involved the establishment of a reliable farmer database (farm mapping and enumeration), was expected to be completed by the end of October 2022.

    He assured stakeholders that COCOBOD had made available funds, jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take-off of the 2022/23 Main Crop Season.

    GNA

  • Cocoa prices increased by 21%; bag of cocoa to cost GH¢800

    The government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced a 21 percent rise in the price of cocoa at the producer level.

    Following a warning from the minority caucus in Parliament against any attempt to underpay cocoa farmers by declaring prices below GH1000 for a bag of cocoa, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and subsequently the government made the statement.

    “In light of the current state of uncertainty, the government should refrain from announcing prices below GHC 1000 per bag or GHC 16,000 per tonne.
    Everyone in Ghana has seen the Cedi’s historic devaluation.
    COCOBOD utilized a conversion rate of GH6 to $1 in 2021.

    We wish to remind them that the dollar is now more than 10. Even at the dollar equivalent price, farmers and all stakeholders including LBCs and Haulers should receive higher prices and margins this year,” parts of a statement issued by minority’s Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on Wednesday, October 3, 2022 read.

    In a statement issued, on the same day, by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the government said that the 21 percent increase translates to GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg. gross weight and takes effect from Friday, October 14, 2022.

    “The 21% rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative. Government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive.

    “To ensure a decent standard of living for Ghanaian cocoa farmers after retirement, government will from November 2022 move from the pilot phase to the implementation phase of the Cocoa Farmer’s pension scheme.

    “The Scheme remains an unprecedented achievement under His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo,” parts of the statement read.

    Read the full statement below:

    REVIEW OF THE PRODUCER PRICE OF COCOA FOR THE 2022/23 COCOA SEASON WEDNESDAY, 5TH OCTOBER 2022

    Introduction

    The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), under the Chairmanship of Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, met and agreed on the Producer Price of Cocoa for the 2022/2023 season which opens, Friday, 14th October, 2022.

    Producer Price

    We are pleased to announce that Government has increased the producer price of cocoa by 21% from GH¢10,560 per tonne to GH¢12,800.00 per tonne. The producer price represents 89.99% of the net FOB value. This figure translates into GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg. gross weight and takes effect from Friday, 14th October, 2022.

    The 21% rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to Government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative. Government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive.

    To ensure a decent standard of living for Ghanaian cocoa farmers after retirement, Government will from November 2022 move from the pilot phase to the implementation phase of the Cocoa Farmer’s pension scheme. The Scheme remains an unprecedented achievement under His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.

    Other Rates and Fees

    The Committee has also approved the rates and fees for all other stakeholders in the supply chain. These include the Buyers’ margin, Hauliers’ rate, warehousing and internal marketing costs, as well as, fees for disinfestation, grading and sealing and scale inspection.

    Government Support and Commitment

    Government will continue to support cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme (Mass Spraying) and rehabilitation of diseased cocoa farms. Government will also assist cocoa farmers by making the requisite inputs such as fertilizers available for farmers to buy to increase farm productivity. Government is committed to continuing to supply certified planting materials that are drought tolerant, early bearing and high-yielding.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, as you may be aware, the European Union will soon legislate Regulations on due diligence on Deforestation and Forest Degradation. This places enormous responsibility on us to ensure that cocoa is sustainably produced in Ghana. Issues of deforestation and forest degradation remain important in meeting the EU due diligence requirements.

    Once completed, the CMS will establish a national mandatory traceability system which will be transparent and accountable. This will ensure that all Ghana cocoa beans are traceable from the port of shipment to the plot of land that produced the beans. This is a key requirement under the European Union Due Diligence requirements.

    I am pleased to inform you that the first component of the CMS, which involves the establishment of a reliable farmer database (farm mapping and enumeration), is expected to be completed by the end of October 2022.

    Before I resume my seat, I wish to assure all stakeholders that COCOBOD has made available funds, jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take-off of the 2022/23 Main Crop Season.

    Thank you very much for your attention.

    HON. DR. OWUSU AFRIYIE AKOTO ,

    MINISTER OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

  • Cocoa prices increased by 21%; bag of cocoa to cost GH¢800

    The Akufo-Addo government has announced a 21 percent increase in the producer price of cocoa.

    The announcement comes after the minority caucus of Parliament warned Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and thus the government against any attempt to short-change cocoa farmers by announcing prices that are below GH¢1000 per a bag of cocoa.

    “After all this uncertainty, government should not announce any price below GH¢1000 per bag, or GH¢16,000 per tonne. Ghanaians are all witnesses to the historic depreciation of the Cedi. In 2021, COCOBOD used an exchange rate of GH¢6 to $1.

    “We wish to remind them that the dollar is now more than 10. Even at the dollar equivalent price, farmers and all stakeholders including LBCs and Haulers should receive higher prices and margins this year,” parts of a statement issued by minority’s Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on Wednesday, October 3, 2022 read.

    In a statement issued, on the same day, by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the government said that the 21 percent increase translates to GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg. gross weight and takes effect from Friday, October 14, 2022.

    “The 21% rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative. Government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive.

    “To ensure a decent standard of living for Ghanaian cocoa farmers after retirement, government will from November 2022 move from the pilot phase to the implementation phase of the Cocoa Farmer’s pension scheme.

    “The Scheme remains an unprecedented achievement under His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo,” parts of the statement read.

    Read the full statement below:

    REVIEW OF THE PRODUCER PRICE OF COCOA FOR THE 2022/23 COCOA SEASON WEDNESDAY, 5TH OCTOBER 2022

    Introduction

    The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), under the Chairmanship of Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, met and agreed on the Producer Price of Cocoa for the 2022/2023 season which opens, Friday, 14th October, 2022.

    Producer Price

    We are pleased to announce that Government has increased the producer price of cocoa by 21% from GH¢10,560 per tonne to GH¢12,800.00 per tonne. The producer price represents 89.99% of the net FOB value. This figure translates into GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg. gross weight and takes effect from Friday, 14th October, 2022.

    The 21% rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to Government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative. Government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive.

    To ensure a decent standard of living for Ghanaian cocoa farmers after retirement, Government will from November 2022 move from the pilot phase to the implementation phase of the Cocoa Farmer’s pension scheme. The Scheme remains an unprecedented achievement under His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.

    Other Rates and Fees

    The Committee has also approved the rates and fees for all other stakeholders in the supply chain. These include the Buyers’ margin, Hauliers’ rate, warehousing and internal marketing costs, as well as, fees for disinfestation, grading and sealing and scale inspection.

    Government Support and Commitment

    Government will continue to support cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme (Mass Spraying) and rehabilitation of diseased cocoa farms. Government will also assist cocoa farmers by making the requisite inputs such as fertilizers available for farmers to buy to increase farm productivity. Government is committed to continuing to supply certified planting materials that are drought tolerant, early bearing and high-yielding.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, as you may be aware, the European Union will soon legislate Regulations on due diligence on Deforestation and Forest Degradation. This places enormous responsibility on us to ensure that cocoa is sustainably produced in Ghana. Issues of deforestation and forest degradation remain important in meeting the EU due diligence requirements.

    Once completed, the CMS will establish a national mandatory traceability system which will be transparent and accountable. This will ensure that all Ghana cocoa beans are traceable from the port of shipment to the plot of land that produced the beans. This is a key requirement under the European Union Due Diligence requirements.

    I am pleased to inform you that the first component of the CMS, which involves the establishment of a reliable farmer database (farm mapping and enumeration), is expected to be completed by the end of October 2022.

    Before I resume my seat, I wish to assure all stakeholders that COCOBOD has made available funds, jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take-off of the 2022/23 Main Crop Season.

    Thank you very much for your attention.

    HON. DR. OWUSU AFRIYIE AKOTO ,

    MINISTER OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

     

  • $12 billion to be generated from 6 tree crops by 2027 – Agric Minister

    According to Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, his department anticipates earning at least $12 billion from six tree crops grown in the nation by 2027.

    He said that this sum was equal to the annual income from cocoa.

    Dr. Afriyie Akoto listed the following tree crops as the ones chosen to produce income for the nation: oil palm, shea, rubber, coconut, mango, and cashew.

    “By 2027, our goal is for each of the six chosen tree crops to produce at least 12 billion US dollars in revenue, which is equal to the sum of cocoa’s yearly revenue.
    According to the strategy’s requirements, this is feasible, the Minister of Food and Agriculture said.

    Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the move forms part of strategies put in place by the Agric Ministry to offer a lifeline to the tree crop sector in Ghana.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto mentioned that the tree crop sector is being cultivated by over 1.5 million households.

    He stated that this sector could create more jobs to help curb the growing unemployment rate in the country.

  • $12bn to be generated from 6 tree crops by 2027 – Agric Minister

    According to Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, his department anticipates earning at least $12 billion from six tree crops grown in the nation by 2027.

    He said that this sum was equal to the annual income from cocoa.

    Dr. Afriyie Akoto listed the following tree crops as the ones chosen to produce income for the nation: oil palm, shea, rubber, coconut, mango, and cashew.

    “By 2027, our target is for each of the six selected tree crops to generate a revenue of at least 12 billion US Dollars, equivalent to that of the annual revenue of cocoa. This is achievable per stipulations of the strategy,” the Food and Agric Minister stated.

    Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the move forms part of strategies put in place by the Agric Ministry to offer a lifeline to the tree crop sector in Ghana.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto mentioned that the tree crop sector is being cultivated by over 1.5 million households.

    He stated that this sector could create more jobs to help curb the growing unemployment rate in the country.

  • FLASHBACK: Government maintains cocoa price at GH¢660 per bag

    For the planting season of 2021–2022, the government kept the cost of a bag of cocoa at GH10,560 per metric tonne.

    According to Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, the government continues to support cocoa growers’ interests by maintaining the producer price.

    “As a result of this wonderful gesture, cocoa producers in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are now better off than their counterparts in other cocoa-producing countries,” he remarked.

    The government has maintained the producer price for the purchase of cocoa beans at GH¢10,560 per metric tonne for the 2021/2022 crop season, representing 87.1 of the Free on Board (FOB) value.

    By this, a 64-kilogramme bag of cocoa beans will still sell at GH¢660. This is expected to take effect from Friday 8th October 2021.

    The stay of the price makes Ghana the country in the sub-region with the highest price.

    Speaking at a press briefing, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, stated that the move demonstrates government’s commitment to sustaining the interests of cocoa farmers and also improving their wellbeing.

    According to him, the producer price was maintained when all cocoa-producing countries are contemplating a reduction in their farm gate prices, following a slump in the terminal cocoa market as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Dr. Akoto explained that the price includes the US$400 Living Income Differential (LID) expected to go directly to all cocoa farmers.

    “Today, cocoa farmers in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are better off than their counterparts in other cocoa-producing countries as a result of this noble initiative.”

    Commencement of pension scheme

    Dr. Akoto announced that all is set for the implementation of the cocoa farmers’ pension scheme for the 2021/2022 crop season.

    Describing the scheme as unprecedented, the minister was hopeful the move will ensure the sustainable livelihood of the cocoa farmer after retirement from active work.

    “This initiative will not only prepare the future for farmers but will also send an indication to the youth that cocoa farming is a decent job that can protect their future,” he said.

    Electronic weighing starts

    As part of measures to protect the cocoa farmer from exploitation, Dr. Akoto stated that the usage of uniform non-negotiable electronic weighing scales will be deployed by October 8 to weigh cocoa beans.

    The new scales, according to him, have been certified by the Ghana Standards Authority and been ascertained to conform with mandatory requirements.

    He added that cocoa buyers cannot adjust the weighing scales after they have been calibrated and sealed by the Ghana Standards Authority.

    “I want to caution Licencing Buying Companies that nobody can and should attempt to tamper with new scales since they cannot be altered,” he said.

    Support for the new season

    Dr. Akoto assured that government will continue to support cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme.

    He added that COCOBOD has already put measures in place to continue with the distribution of hybrid seeds, pruning, hand pollination, and the cocoa rehabilitation programme.

    “Government has also committed itself to continue supplying certified planting materials that are drought-tolerant, early-bearing and high-yielding”.

    He explained that the implementation of these productivity enhancement programmes resulted in achieving record production of 1,046,958 metric tonnes of cocoa beans for the 2020/2021 crop season.

  • GEPA targets US$2.8bn annually from coconut exports

    As there is a rising global market for fruit, the Ghana Sale Promotion Authority (GEPA) has stated that it is targeting an annual revenue of US$2.8 billion from the export of semi-processed and processed coconut.

    At the second International Coconut Festival in Accra, Deputy CEO of GEPA Samuel Dentu said the Authority has given the coconut business priority over the past five years while speaking to dignitaries on behalf of GEPA CEO Dr. Afua Asabea Asare.

    “In 2017, GEPA started the coconut revitalization intervention with the obvious goal of reviving the at-the-time-ailing coconut business to increase the value chain’s supply capacity.
    Since then, the crop’s potential for profit has increased,” he stated.

    According to GEPA’s 2021 non-traditional export statistics, coconut raked in US$11.44million while coconut oil earned Ghana some US$6.99million. These figures represent an increase of 132 percent and 33 percent respectively over the 2020 figures.

    “With these potentials, our goal is to work toward achieving an annual revenue of US$2.8billion in the very near future,” Mr. Dentu indicated.

    Indeed, Indonesia and other countries in South-East Asia make revenues of more than US$3billion in coconut export yearly. Indonesia alone has almost 17 varieties of coconut for export.

    “This tells us that with more strategic aggression in promoting more derivatives of coconut, we can gain a lot more ground”, he said, adding, “GEPA’s collaborative effort with the African Coconut Group, the Trade Ministry, MoFA, Ghana EXIM Bank and the Tree Crops Development Authority has contributed to the growing gains of the sector.”

    The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, said coconut is one of the tree crops that the ministry is promoting under its Food and Agriculture Development Policy.

    He said the sector had been identified by government as a major driver of the economy into the next decades based on the economic potential of the crop – including food security, environmental protection and poverty alleviation.

    He indicated that growing interest in the health benefits of coconut and its value-added products has resulted in a growing demand for its consumption, alongside its various industrial uses.

    “Global emerging trends in the coconut industry point toward value addition, and taking advantage of this countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, India and others have either transformed or are transforming their economies through value addition to coconut,” he added.

    The Chairman of African Coconut Group, Davies Narh Korboe, expressed the Group’s continuous collaboration to stimulate trade and investment in the agri-food sector of Ghana in order to improve productivity and value as well as job creation.

    It is estimated that about 500,000 people are currently employed in the coconut value chain across the country.

    About the International Coconut Festival

    Organised by Africa Coconut Group in collaboration with GEPA, the event’s second edition was on the theme ‘Repositioning Ghana’s Coconut Sector for Accelerated Industrialisation’, and called on industry players to help promote and develop the coconut industry while making it a significant and reliable revenue source.

    With its maiden event in 2019, the festival’s objective is to bring investors from across the world to export coconut from Ghana.

    The event was characterised by exhibitions of high and low-level technologies in the coconut industry, business seminars, financial support platforms, networking, talks and field visits.

  • Time to shift away from cocoa export to local consumption – Prof. Owusu

    Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, a former vice chancellor of the University of Ghana, has called for a move away from the export of cocoa and toward local use of the beans.

    According to him, both recent and previous administrations have pushed to promote cocoa sales at the expense of domestic consumption.

    We must consume the goods we generate, according to Professor Owusu. We must make sure that we consume chocolate locally. The health benefits of cocoa are numerous.

    He was delivering a lecture on the topic: “COCOBOD @75: Sustaining Our Environment, Wealth and Health.”

    The occasion was also used to launch the 2022 Cocoa Day, which is slated for October 1.

    He suggested that cocoa be used more regularly in the preparation of local dishes and called for efforts to develop local cocoa diets that would ensure local consumption of the crop.

    Regarding the consumption of chocolate products, he admitted that pricing concerns had largely deterred the citizenry from regularly consuming made-in-Ghana chocolate products, thus accounting for the almost rapt focus on export of cocoa beans to the processing factories in the West.

    He also called for the New Products Unit of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) to be better resourced to bring new approaches to the production and value addition of cocoa in the country.

    He emphasised research as key to the development of the cocoa sub-sector and pointed to the development of early and high yielding, and pest resistant varieties of the cash crop, which came about due to years of research.

    Professor Oduro Owusu called for more efforts to be made to “curb the unwarranted destruction of lands and the environment” especially in cocoa growing areas, where the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) recently reported that about 19,000 hectares of cocoa farms had been destroyed due to the activities of illegal gold miners.

    “I find it very hard to understand why as a nation, we cannot be united to fight ‘evils’ that threaten the future of our dear country.”

    He warned that if nothing concrete was done about the danger of illegal mining, the country might soon depend on the imports of food and potable water.

    He said, “polluted water bodies, destroyed aquatic lives as well as shrink pathways of water bodies are matters that may cost us so much as a nation.”

    Besides this danger to our water and land, he also cautioned that due to the presence of heavy metals like mercury in the soil from the illegal mining activities, it was becoming difficult for Ghana’s cocoa to pass the heavy metals test when shipped to other jurisdictions.

    He thus urged scientists at CRIG to research into how long it would take for the destroyed lands to be restored to their original states.

    Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong Addo, who represented Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto at the event, noted that the theme of the lecture, ‘COCOBOD @75: Sustaining our environment, wealth and health,’ epitomises the government’s policy direction for the cocoa sector “by securing sustainable farming practices alongside boosting domestic cocoa production.”

    He said interventions in the sector, such as hand pollination, rehabilitation of cocoa farms, pruning and the supply of farming inputs had positively influenced production patterns.

    He stated that work on the COCOBOD Cocoa Management System, a database of all farmers in the country, was near completion with the data about 664, 529 farmers so far captured unto it.

    This, he said, would make it easy for the implementation of the Cocoa Farmers’ Pension Scheme.

    He commended the various players in the cocoa sector as well as all those who were at the helm of affairs at COCOBOD since its establishment 75 years ago.

    Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, on his part stated that “making the cocoa industry more vibrant requires that cocoa farmers are better remunerated.”

    This, he explained, was the motivation behind the 29% increase in the producer price of cocoa from GH¢8,240 to GH¢10,560.

    He indicated that the Board and Management of COCOBOD have resolved to reduce the debt burden drastically, by adopting austerity measures, due to the ongoing ravages of COVID-19, which had led to decreased demand for cocoa around the world.

    According to the CEO, the Living Income Diffferential remained the best pricing mechanism to regulate cocoa prices and cushion the farmers against cocoa price volatility.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Cocoa Day Celebrations will be held at the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (SHS) at Suhum in the Eastern Region.

    The programme of activities include a simultaneous walk by staff of COCOBOD on Saturday, September 24, in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Takoradi.

    On Wednesday, September 28, there will be a float at Suhum and an exhibition by cocoa and chocolate producers, as well as agrochemical and input suppliers, financial institutions and NGOs on the Suhum SHS school park.

    A forum on sustainable cocoa production as well as a cocoa quiz competition will be held on Thursday, September 29.

    There will be a football competition among some four selected schools from the Eastern Region on Friday, September 30 at the Suhum School Park. This will be followed by a ‘Cocoa Night Concert.’

    As the climax to the 75th Anniversary celebrations, there will be a grand durbar at Suhum Presbyterian SHS Park on Saturday, October 1.

  • Israeli paid internship will be cancelled if absconsion continues – Dr Akoto

    The funded internships in Israel for agricultural students will be canceled, according to Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister for Food and Agriculture.

    He explained that the initiative was designed to help a chosen group of agriculture students learn cutting-edge capabilities in the value chain so they could teach those skills to others when they returned after an 11-month break and avoid leaving for greener pastures.

    Dr. Akoto added that although all the cohorts had been lauded for their hard work, a few had decided to leave after their program. He was addressing during a brief ceremony to bid farewell to 200 agriculture students in Accra before they traveled to Israel on the program.

    He said apart from the exposure and skills transfer, they were paid good money for the work on the farms every month.

    “This development is not good for Ghana’s image and the country risks losing its slot to such actions. This prgramme is of great benefit to development of the sector,” he said.

    The Minister said as part of measures to curtail the challenge, the beneficiaries would be required to sign a bond with a guarantor and parents who would be liable to pay GHC 7000 should the students abscond after the completion of the programme.

    He said participating schools whose students absconded would be blacklisted from the programme.

    The government of Ghana through MoFA and the Israeli government through AgroStudies of Israel reached an agreement to offer Ghanaian agriculture students training in modern practices, especially in the areas of GreenHouse vegetable production to increase local production.

    Under the agreement, the programmes, which started with 50 students in 2018 had increased to 200 in 2022 recruited from six tertiary institutions, including Kwadaso Agriculture College, University for Development Studies, University of Ghana and University of Cape Coast.

    While in Israel, the graduates will be attached to cooperative farms called Kibbutz, where they will work on the field for five days and be in the classroom for a day.

    The Ghanaian graduates will be joined by other beneficiaries from other parts of Africa, Asia and South America.

    Mr Lawoetey Tettey, the Human Resource Director of MoFA, said the internship was a life-changing experience and urged the students to open up and acquire knowledge, and skills and return to support the agriculture sector.

    “We are now trying to modernise Ghana’s agriculture sector and Israel is a country with capacity and reputation with regard to agriculture,” he said.

    Mr Emmanuel Asante, a beneficiary from Kwadaso Agriculture Collage, thanked the government for the opportunity and assured that they would return armed with farming technologies to help develop the country.

  • GEPA seeks yearly coconut export revenue of US$2.8 billion

    As there is a rising global market for fruit, the Ghana Sale Promotion Authority (GEPA) has stated that it is targeting an annual revenue of US$2.8 billion from the export of semi-processed and processed coconut.

    At the second International Coconut Festival in Accra, Deputy CEO of GEPA Samuel Dentu said the Authority has prioritized the coconut business for the past five years while speaking to dignitaries on behalf of GEPA CEO Dr. Afua Asabea Asare.

    “In 2017, GEPA started the coconut revitalization intervention with the obvious goal of reviving the at-the-time-ailing coconut business to increase the value chain’s supply capacity.
    Since then, the crop’s potential for profit has increased,” he stated.

    According to GEPA’s 2021 non-traditional export statistics, coconut raked in US$11.44million while coconut-oil earned Ghana some US$6.99million. These figures represent an increase of 132 percent and 33 percent respectively over the 2020 figures.

    “With these potentials, our goal is to work toward achieving an annual revenue of US$2.8billion in the very near future,” Mr. Dentu indicated.

    Indeed, Indonesia and other countries in South-East Asia make revenues of more than US$3billion in coconut export yearly. Indonesia alone has almost 17 varieties of coconut for export.

    “This tells us that with more strategic aggression in promoting more derivatives of coconut, we can gain a lot more ground”, he said, adding, “GEPA’s collaborative effort with the African Coconut Group, the Trade Ministry, MoFA, Ghana EXIM Bank and the Tree Crops Development Authority has contributed to the growing gains of the sector.”

    The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, said coconut is one of the tree crops that the ministry is promoting under its Food and Agriculture Development Policy.

    He said the sector had been identified by government as a major driver of the economy into the next decades based on the economic potential of the crop – including food security, environmental protection and poverty alleviation.

    He indicated that growing interest in the health benefits of coconut and its value-added products has resulted in a growing demand for its consumption, alongside its various industrial uses.

    “Global emerging trends in the coconut industry point toward value addition, and taking advantage of this countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, India and others have either transformed or are transforming their economies through value addition to coconut,” he added.

    The Chairman of African Coconut Group, Davies Narh Korboe, expressed the Group’s continuous collaboration to stimulate trade and investment in the agri-food sector of Ghana in order to improve productivity and value as well as job creation.

    It is estimated that about 500,000 people are currently employed in the coconut value chain across the country.

    About the International Coconut Festival

    Organised by Africa Coconut Group in collaboration with GEPA, the event’s second edition was on the theme ‘Repositioning Ghana’s Coconut Sector for Accelerated Industrialisation’, and called on industry players to help promote and develop the coconut industry while making it a significant and reliable revenue source.

    With its maiden event in 2019, the festival’s objective is to bring investors from across the world to export coconut from Ghana.

    The event was characterised by exhibitions of high and low-level technologies in the coconut industry, business seminars, financial support platforms, networking, talks and field visits.

  • PFJ generates ¢50 billion worth of farm produce for Ghana – Afriyie Akoto

    The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has revealed that the ¢2.6 billion investment made by the government for its flagship program, Plantain for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program has yielded unprecedented results.

    Dr Akoto disclosed that the program since its inception has generated a total amount of ¢50 billion cedis worth of farm produce for Ghana.

    “In the five years of Planting for Food and Jobs, government has invested ¢2.6 billion to subsidise just two inputs; improved seeds and fertilisers. If you convert this at the exchange rate existing at the time, it should be about $450 million. If you multiply the prices with the quantities, this $2.6-billion investment generated ¢50 billion worth of farm produce for this country”.

    The sector minister made this known during the launch of the 38th Farmers’ Day Celebration.

    This year’s Farmers’ Day Celebration will be held in the Eastern region.

    Commenting on the announcement, the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, stated that he is thrilled to have this year’s celebration in his region.

    According to him, the  Eastern Region is among the biggest producers of the nation’s main commodities.

    “We in the Eastern Region are strategically positioned to grow, develop and lead the industrialisation agenda. The theme for this year’s Farmers’ Day Celebration, “Accelerating Agricultural Development through Value Addition” has all the essential ingredients in our Eastern Commodity Satellite Market Fair and our concept will seriously be outdoor in this event”.

    “On behalf of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, the Chiefs and people of the region, we wholeheartedly accept to host this year’s Farmers’ Day Celebration,” he pointed out.

    On his part, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong Addo highlighted some benefits sponsors of the Farmers’ Day will enjoy.

    He revealed that in the platinum package, sponsors will get acknowledgement in the media, advertisement of the company’s logo at the durbar ground for telecast, and advertisement of company’s logo in the event brochure.
    He also added that a full page print company advert with felicitation messages to farmers and fishers in the National Farmers’ Day brochure and branding some of the sections of the principal route and outside perimeter of the durbar ground.

  • Ghana in 2021 generated GHC 50 billion worth of farm produce – Agric Minister

    Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, says the government has spent GHC 2.6 billion on subsidies on cocoa seed and fertilizer, which generated GHC 50 billion worth of farm produce for the country.

    He said Ghana’s agriculture had risen tall due to the support given to farmers and the reciprocal benefit adding, that it had made the sector perform extraordinarily as compared to other sectors.

    Ghana’s agricultural sector recorded an accelerated growth of 8.4 per cent in 2021, as compared to the 7.4 per cent recorded in 2020, the Minister stated.

    Speaking at the launch of the 38th edition of the farmers’ day celebration in Accra, Dr Akoto said farmers needed to be commended for the achievement.

    “The growth has been accelerating due to the commitment of our farmers. So, we need to commend our farmers for producing in these very difficult global circumstances.”

    Ms Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, in a speech read on her behalf, noted that the concept of value addition in agriculture, especially fisheries and aquaculture presented an exceptionally good opportunity for additional revenue generation, job creation, foreign exchange earnings and effective post-harvest management.

    Ms Koomson disclosed that in 2021 total fish production stood at some 658,617.53 tonnes estimated at 11.04 billion Ghana cedis, which contributed to about 1.04 per cent of GDP and 20.99 per cent of agriculture, adding that the benefit would have been more if the value additions were included.

    She said the Ministry was promoting new products such as fish powder, fish khebab and fish sausage in collaboration with the council for scientific and industrial research, food research institute specifically, products such as fish balls have been developed while up takers are being encouraged to commercialise such products.

    She said the ministry had taken a keen interest in pursuing various activities to improve value addition, which included strengthening the capacities of actors in the fish value chain to ensure the production of safe and quality fish products.

    To this effect, 994 fish farmers have so far been trained in hygienic fish handling, fish processing and marketing strategies, while 200 fish processors have been also trained in best practices.

    The 2022 National Farmers’ Day celebration would be held in the Eastern Region on the theme: Accelerating Agricultural Development through value addition.

    Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister, acknowledged that agriculture could not be left out of the nation’s developmental agenda.

    He said: ” Our basic survival and progress as a nation depends on the produce this sector provides. The contribution of this sector to our GDP continues to remain significant and the employment opportunities that exist in this sector cannot be overemphasized”.

    He said the Eastern Region was endowed with a unique diversity in terms of culture, ethnicity, and vegetation and contributed to the food basket of the nation.

    He commended the National Organizing Committee for the honour bestowed on them to host this year’s National Farmers’ Day celebration and affirmed an effective collaboration to make the celebration a success.

    “Let me assure all of you that we will collaborate effectively with the organisers and stakeholders to ensure this year’s celebration will be one of the greatest ever held, if not the best”.

    Major sponsors for this year’s farmers’ day celebration include Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Stanbic Bank and Exim Bank.

    Source: GNA

  • Food will soon become cheap; there is enough in Ghana – Association of Concerned Farmers

    Contrary to reports of a looming food shortage in Ghana this year, the Association of Concerned Farmers claims there is plenty of food in the country.

    This, according to President of the association, Nana Oboadea Boateng Bonsu II, is because there was a bumper harvest this year.

    “This very year, we had a bumper harvest and we are yet to get more. We even have plantains that are in the stage of getting rotten because when it gets to the market, people are not buying it in time so there is enough food in the system,” he said.

    In July 2022, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana and the National Seed Trading Association of Ghana, two groups within the country’s food production value chain, predicted that the country would be faced with a food crisis, if measures were not immediately taken to resolve challenges related to food production in the country by the end of the year.

    These reports were, however, dismissed by the government.

    Government’s response

    The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, refuting the claims, said that food inflation being experienced in the country is not a function of food shortage, but among other things overpricing by traders.

    Dr. Afriyie Akoto insisted that there was enough food on the market.

    “I am coming from the field. Every year I go around the 16 regions to observe for myself and formulate realistic policies. I just came back 8 days ago from a tour of five regions. Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, and Eastern Region which are the main forest belts.”

    “Per my checks and interactions with stakeholders, there is enough food out there. I went with all the 13 directors at the headquarters. Our directors were deployed to major markets in these regions. Data from nine major markets in the Ashanti and Bono East regions revealed that the volume of maize in the last 10 days was 27,000 metric tonnes. There is enough food in the system.”

    Subsequent reactions

    In the same vein, the Association of Concerned Farmers has allayed the fears of Ghanaians over a looming food shortage.

    “We want to assure the general public that there is enough food, they shouldn’t panic, there is more food and it is going to get cheap,” Nana Oboadea Boateng Bonsu II, said in a press conference in Accra.

    Touching on other issues, the association explained factors that have contributed to the hikes in food prices. Nana Boateng Bonsu clarified that this is not as a result of a lack of bountiful harvest, but

    the results of middlemen and market women who wanted to make abnormal profits.

    “Even though the price of fuel is high, some of the prices, which some of our produce is being sold for in the market, are shocking”, Nana Bonsu II added.

    Nonetheless, the association said transportation of foodstuffs from some areas of the country has become difficult due to poor road networks.

    “The only challenge we are facing now is transportation. There are some places where the road network is very bad, making conveying food from such places very hard.

    “But even with those areas, there are contractors working on it and all we’ll tell them is to do it quickly so that food will come to the cities for people to enjoy,” he added.

    To address this, the association has entreated the government to urgently implement its truck system to eliminate middlemen in foodstuff trading.

    The system, according to Nana Bonsu II, would be in charge of getting food from farm gates and farming villages straight to individuals living in cities and urban centres.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • It’s a Joke…I’m too busy to put up billboards – Agric Minister hits back at critics

    Agric Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has hit back at critics accusing him of being fixated on erecting billboards instead of concentrating on his duties.

    According to reports, the billboard of the Minister who is a presidential candidate hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) billboards can be seen nationwide describing him as a “unifier”.

    A Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah recently asked the Minister to stop focusing on his presidential ambition and pay more attention to increasing yield and stopping the high cost of food products.

    “There are so many billboards across the country projecting your presidential ambition than your works as an agric minister. The country is in crisis. Prices of farm produce and foodstuff are skyrocketing like never before and instead of relieving Ghanaians with pragmatic solutions, you are spending millions erecting billboards to project your presidential ambition,” he said on Okay FM‘s Ade Akye Abia show.

    However, Dr Afriyie Akoto in a one-on-one on Peace FM‘s morning show ‘Kokrokoo‘ said the billboards are being put up by people who love him and that he’s busily working.

    “It’s a joke because I’m not the one putting up the billboards. I don’t have time for that; I’m focused on the work in my ministry…it’s laughable and I don’t think if they know the facts they will make such comments.

    “…they (billboards) are being done by people who believe in me…I don’t think anyone who hates me will put up such billboards. They have looked at the kind of work I’m doing for the country…” he added.

  • Planting for Food and Jobs rakes in GH¢50bn

    A total of GH¢2,664,789 was spent on subsidised fertiliser and improved seeds under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme between 2017 and 2021.

    However, the value of production over the period under review stood at almost GH¢50bn from a total production output of 14,973,000 metric tonnes (MT).

    Investment

    In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, while describing the flagship programme as “a big success”, said the investment by the government was not a waste.

    He said it was clear that investing in agriculture could change the fortunes of the country because “if we spent a little over GH¢2.5 million with a return of almost GH¢50bn, surely that is the best investment”.

    Dr Akoto said, for instance, that 2021 had the highest production of 4,338,000MT, with a production value of GH¢21,085,179, although the subsidised fertiliser was low, compared to that of 2018 to 2020.

    In 2021, a total of 239,096MT of fertiliser and 34,291MT of seeds were distributed to the farmers.

    Dr Akoto said the output of the PFJ was a clear indication that agriculture could be the major driver of the national agenda to transform the economy.

    Annual breakdown

    Giving the annual breakdown, he said when the programme was launched in 2017, only 121,000MT of fertiliser and 4,400MT of seeds were distributed to farmers.

    He said with that, the farmers were able to produce 747,000MT of food, with a production value of GH¢1,619,273,000.

    “In 2018, we invested 247,039MT of fertiliser and 6,822MT of improved seeds and realised 2,313,000MT of food, with the face value of GH¢5,087,894,000,” the minister said.

    He added that for 2019, 331,354MT of fertiliser and 18,204 MT of improved seeds were distributed among the farmers, whose total output stood at 3,4436,000MT, valued at GH¢9,732,277,000.

    The year 2020 received the highest subsidised fertiliser of 424,000MT and 29,500MT of improved, yielding 4,139,000MT, valued at GH¢12,125,122,000.

    Enthusiasm

    Dr Akoto explained that the PFJ generated a lot of enthusiasm among a cross-section of the population, especially the youth, who until then considered farming to be for the aged and the illiterate.

    He said not only individual farmers signed onto the programme but that churches and tertiary institutions also joined.

    Citing the 2021 investment and the output, the minister said even though the two commodities, fertiliser and the seeds, were the game changers, more improved seeds were need

    Source: Graphic online