Agrihouse Foundation, a Non-Governmental Agricultural social impact Organisation, has expressed commitment to support farmers in promoting sustainable crop production, increase yields through farmer education, best agricultural practices and implementation.
Ms Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, stated that the support would be executed through an initiative targeted at pre-planting season to educate farmers on best practices and other measures to increase yield and reduce post-harvest losses.
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, the Executive Director, said one of the major challenges affecting farmers was during pre- planting season, which needed an intervention.
She said: “We realised that there is a big gap after harvest and preparation towards new planting season and working with the farmers, we saw the need to come up with interventions to help them overcome such challenges.”
“Farmers are looking for the appropriate crop protection and crop nutrition products to use on their farms and we have a lot of input companies also springing up both organic and inorganic, the irrigation sector is also growing speedily and tractor equipment also coming up with appropriate technology that will support our farmers, however access to these services remain a challenge,” she noted.
Ms Akosa said though there were shops all over, there were no key platform where farmers and experts, including crop protection and crop nutrition companies could engage directly on how to forge the needed partnerships to support food security system as a nation.
“It is in this regard that the Foundation is set to host a three-day event dubbed: 1st Ghana Agrochemicals Crop Protection Exhibition and Awards (GACA)- The pre-planting season Exhibitions, to be held from April 18 to 20, 2024 at Bonokyempem Hall, Techiman in the Bono East region.”
The GACA is a pre-planting season initiative with a primary focus on creating a one-stop platform with the most active transactions for trade, connectivity and cooperation.
It would integrate pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, irrigation and plant protection equipment and logistics and ensure comprehensive availability of crucial resources for all agricultural value chain participants.
The event would be on the theme: “Recognizing Efficiency and Innovation to Drive sustainable Bumper Harvest; the role of the Agricultural Input Dealer (s)”.
The Executive Director said the focus was on the pre-planting season, where farmers could have a dialogue with all emerging crop protection and nutrition brands that were springing up to know what was right.
“Many of the farmers had failed during planting, due to wrong applications and demonstrations in the absence of expert advice.”
Activities of the three-day event would include exhibitions, product innovation and presentation, meetings and awards ceremony.
She urged farmers and stakeholders to take advantage of the event to share knowledge and best practices.
Farmers, Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs), farmer associations, government organisations, development partners, exhibitors, including input dealers into seeds, agrochemicals, fertilizers, irrigation and machinery as well as the public are expected to participate in the agrochemcal event.
It is expected that farmers would have increased access to crucial resources, improved knowledge and best practices, increased crop yields and quality, reduced post-harvest losses and enhanced market access as well as strengthened agricultural value chain.
GNA
KK
April 04, 2024
Caption: Picture attached.
