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Tag: MOFA

  • MoFA and KOICA launch $6.5m project to rehabilitate irrigation sites in Ghana

    MoFA and KOICA launch $6.5m project to rehabilitate irrigation sites in Ghana

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has initiated a $6.5 million project aimed at rehabilitating three irrigation sites in Ghana. The project, titled “The Rehabilitation of Irrigation Schemes and Improvement of Irrigation Water Management,” was officially launched with beneficiary sites located in Dawhenya and Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, as well as Aveyime in the Volta Region.

    The primary objective of the project is to enhance irrigation facilities in these regions, focusing on upgrading pumps, constructing drying floors, installing solar power systems, and increasing reservoir volumes. Additionally, the project emphasizes sustainability and capacity-building, aiming to empower water users’ associations (WUAs) and government officials with the necessary knowledge and skills.

    The launch event, representing the Minister of Food and Agriculture, was overseen by Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the Deputy Minister in Charge of Crops, with Yaw Frimpong Addo expressing gratitude to the Korean government through KOICA for their financial support. Mr. Addo highlighted the project’s overarching goal of increasing farmers’ incomes, particularly those utilizing public irrigation schemes at the targeted sites.

    Furthermore, Mr. Addo stressed the government’s commitment to modernizing and commercializing agriculture, as evidenced by the second edition of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ 2.0) initiative. He emphasized the importance of rehabilitating irrigation schemes to promote year-round farming and ensure food security, particularly in rice production.

    Explaining the project’s rationale, KOICA Ghana Country Director Dong Hyun Lee underscored its significance in bolstering Ghana’s agricultural sector. Mr. Lee outlined the project’s components, designed to optimize irrigation water usage and maximize agricultural output, including repairing canals and land development.

    KOICA’s support for the project stems from a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with MoFA in 2020, with an additional MoU with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) for $2.55 million to rehabilitate the three irrigation schemes.

    Richard Oppong-Boateng, Chief Executive of GIDA, commended KOICA for its dedication and collaboration, which have strengthened GIDA’s operations over the years. He highlighted the agency’s participation in KOICA fellowship programs, providing comprehensive training opportunities for engineers, agronomists, and WUAs in various aspects of irrigation both in Korea and Ghana.

    The project launch attracted various stakeholders, including members of the WUA in the catchment sites, signaling a collective effort towards enhancing irrigation infrastructure and agricultural productivity in Ghana.

  • Parliament instructs MOFA to compensate farmers affected by Bird Flu outbreak

    Parliament instructs MOFA to compensate farmers affected by Bird Flu outbreak

    The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Ghana’s Parliament has issued a directive to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to compensate farmers who suffered losses during the avian influenza, commonly known as the Bird Flu outbreak, between 2015 and 2018.

    PAC Chairman James Klutse Avedzi emphasized the urgency of implementing the compensation, stating that the ministry should disburse the funds within one month. He cautioned that failure to comply within the stipulated time frame would result in the ministry being summoned before the house for questioning.

    Avedzi noted, “I am sure you have a list of the farms that are affected and a certificate for destroying the birds as well. All that you need is to have the affected farmers’ bank details to do the transfer, and I am sure that you have the contact details of these farmers.”

    The directive comes in response to revelations in the 2022 Auditor General’s Report, which disclosed that a substantial portion of the allocated compensation funds, exceeding GHS1.8 million, remains unused in the ministry’s account.

    In defense, the Ministry of Agriculture argued that the funds have not been disbursed because affected farmers have not provided the necessary details to facilitate the compensation process.

    The call for compensation underscores the importance of swift action to alleviate the losses suffered by farmers during the Bird Flu outbreak, highlighting the government’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector and ensuring fair and timely compensation for affected individuals.

  • Farmers battling Bird Flu to receive GHS1.8 from Agric Ministry

    Farmers battling Bird Flu to receive GHS1.8 from Agric Ministry

    Parliament has directed the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to compensate farmers who incurred losses due to the avian influenza or Bird Flu outbreak between 2015 and 2018.

    As per the 2022 Auditor General’s Report, a substantial portion of the earmarked compensation funds, exceeding GH¢1.8 million, remains unutilized in the Ministry’s account.

    While the Ministry argues that the funds are undistributed due to a lack of necessary details from affected farmers, the Public Accounts Committee, led by Chairman James Klutse Avedzi, has mandated the Agriculture Ministry to identify the affected farmers and disburse the funds within the next month.

    During a Public Accounts Committee session, Avedzi instructed, “I am sure you have a list of the farms that are affected and a certificate for destroying the birds as well. All that you need is to have the affected farmers’ bank details to do the transfer and I am sure that you have the contact details of these farmers.

    “So we are giving you one month to disburse the monies to them quickly. Call them so that they will give their bank details so you can do the transfer for them.”

  • Rice sufficiency ambitions in jeopardy as 2024 deadline approaches

    Rice sufficiency ambitions in jeopardy as 2024 deadline approaches

    With just a year left to fulfill the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s (MoFA) self-sufficiency goal in rice production, the current scenario paints a picture of domestic production lingering at approximately 40 percent. The proximity to the deadline adds a sense of urgency and concern regarding the achievement of the set target.

    Despite a slight uptick in local production from 30 percent in 2015, there is growing concern among stakeholders that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) might fall short of meeting the National Rice Development Strategy II (NRDS – II) target. This policy, reintroduced in 2022 with the aim of achieving rice production self-sufficiency by the end of 2024, has prompted apprehension due to the incremental nature of recent production increases.

    The policy, among its objectives, was implemented to secure the sustainability and holistic advancement of the rice crop. It serves as a framework guiding all projects and interventions within the sector.

    The target – previously set by government to be achieved by 2023 – was moved to December this year.

    Former sector minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, said government has invested in harvesters, other farming implements and brought in four different types of solar-powered milling machines from China to improve on production and meet the target by end of this year.

    He said this during an interaction with farmer groups and value chain operators in the agricultural sector of Bono, Bono East and Ashanti Regions during May 2020.

    Despite the supposed progress made, about 60 percent of rice consumed in Ghana is imported – with an associated import bill of more than US$500million per year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

    Meanwhile, rice value chain stakeholders – including the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB), have been sceptical about the target; citing numerous issues including the lack or unavailability of good seeds, capital, mechanised systems of farming, agronomic inputs and land development as among the challenges farmers continue facing with no end in sight.

    For instance, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Crops, Yaw Frimpong Addo, admitted that the country is still having teething challenges in both the rice-seed and grain value chains.

    He said farmers continue to encounter challenges during the post-harvest stage in maintaining quality standards that make domestic rice competitive.

    Some of the challenges, according to him, include inadequate processing infrastructure and modern milling machines; insufficient silos for storing paddy before milling; inadequate quality standard testing for both seed (paddy) and milled rice, among others.

    Being the first countries in the sub-region to launch the first-ever National Rice Development Strategy I, Ghana has already missed out on its local rice production agenda as part of the Coalition for African Rice Development Strategy.

    That strategy – which was first unveilled in May 2008 as the National Rice Development Strategy for the period 2009-2018 – aimed at increasing domestic production up to 70 percent, and promoting consumption through quality improvement and targetting both the local and international markets.

    The initial strategy ended five years ago, and rather achieved an opposite result of 70 percent imports; with the Ghanaian consuming public still largely dependent on foreign rice brands.

    Data from MoFA show rice consumption continues to increase due to population growth, urbanisation and change in consumer habits.

    MoFA indicates that between 2008 and 2020, paddy-rice production was in the range of 302,000 metric tonnes to 987,000 metric tonnes (181,000 to 622,000mt of milled rice) with large annual fluctuations.

    The total rice consumption in 2020 amounted to about 1,450,000 metric tonnes which is equivalent to per capita consumption of about 45kg per annum, according to MoFA.

  • Rice seed tracking system to be introduced by Agric Ministry

    Rice seed tracking system to be introduced by Agric Ministry

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has announced that, as part of measures to increase rice seed certification and distribution, a seed monitoring system will be implemented in 2024 to prevent seed adulteration.

    The Ministry noted, it has observed over time, that farmers are in need of quality seeds for local rice cultivation as such, the need for a system to trace fake seeds in order to improve yield and harvest.

    Speaking at an international symposium on rice seed certification and distribution in Accra, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong announced a consolidated approach to improve the rice seed value chain.

    “My Ministry has taken some steps and initiatives to improve the rice seed value chain. We have implemented a seed tracking system on a pilot basis to reduce seed adulteration and faking. We are also building the capacity of seed certification officers and other stakeholders. We are providing improved seed storage and warehousing and cold rooms and also improving the marketing and distribution channels.”

    The Minister also disclosed that some notable donor agencies have expressed support for Ghana’s rice sector to increase the harvest.

    “It is significant to note that international donor agencies have also expressed their support in the rice sector in some aspects of its value chain to transform it to acceptable standards. Worth mentioning is KOPIA which is going to support the country through the provision of necessary machinery and equipment to further improve the quality of rice seeds in four irrigation schemes.”

    Secretary General of the Korean Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA), Dr. Chang Ancheol pledged that it will keep supporting Ghana to become self-sufficient in rice cultivation.

  • International Fertilizer Development Center to invest in Ghana’s Agric industry

    International Fertilizer Development Center to invest in Ghana’s Agric industry

    The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), an international non-governmental organization, has guaranteed the government of its willingness to promote agricultural development in the country.

    It said it had resolved to work with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other stakeholders to continue disseminating sustainable agricultural solutions to improve soil health, ensure food security and increase incomes of actors, especially farmers.

    The President and Chief Executive Officer of IFDC, Mr. Henk van Duijn, gave the assurance when he led a delegation to pay a working visit to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Bryan Acheampong, in Accra.

    The visit formed part of activities to introduce Mr Duijn, who took over office in January 2023 to strengthen existing relationships, build new strategic partnerships and discuss issues of mutual interest relating to ensuring food security.

    He said it was IFDC’s aim to develop and transfer improved production technologies to smallholder farmers while connecting them to efficient and profitable markets.

    Mr Duijn noted that IFDC had contributed directly and indirectly to the development of agriculture across the country to promote local economic development.

    That, he said had been done through increasing food and agricultural productivity through effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technologies and agribusiness expertise using a bottom-up approach.

    IFDC has implemented several projects in Ghana, including the introduction of urea deep placement technology, developing of seed value chain in the northern part of the country.

    Mr Acheampong acknowledged the immense contribution of IFDC to the country through MOFA and said the Ministry would continue to work towards making agriculture productive and responsive to the needs of the country.

    He recalled that since the company started operations in the country in 2002, it had worked with many institutions, including the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Savannah Agriculture Research Institute to develop innovations and build capacity of personnel.

    Mr Acheampong said, “the deepening of the partnership is most relevant now especially with the new focus of turning around the fortunes of the sector and making it meet the consumption, export and industrial demand of the country”.

  • MoFA provides support to poultry farms with aim to scale up production

    MoFA provides support to poultry farms with aim to scale up production

    As part of the Rearing for Food and Jobs programme, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is helping two anchor farms scale up chicken production and processing.

    The Ashanti Region’s Rockland and Boris B Farms are the two anchor farms taking advantage of the project, which aims to reduce the importation of poultry goods and create jobs.

    The beneficiary farms are given a 50% subsidy on feed, vaccines, and day-old chicks under the “The Broiler Project” initiative, which encourages farmers to increase production in response to local demand for chicken.

    As a further incentive for the recipient farmers to grow their enterprises, the government, through the Obaatanpa Cares Program, is subsidizing 50% of the interest on bank loans for them.

    The two farms, which are also into processing of poultry products, work closely with other out-grower farms who supply them with broilers for processing onto the market.

    This is to encourage the beneficiary farms to increase production through the creation of ready market while promoting the consumption of local poultry.

    A team of officials from MoFA and the Finance Ministry were in the Ashanti Region to monitor the progress of the project and expressed the belief that it would yield the expected dividend if sustained and extended to more anchor farmers across the country.

    http://tigpost.co/theres-no-3rd-party-agreement-to-import-pork-from-usa-agric-ministry-says/

    The Director of Animal Production MoFA, Mr Edwin Bekoe led the team to visit the processing units of the farms, and some selected out growers.

    The members were taken through the various stages of processing and packaging poultry meat as workers of the facilities engaged in their daily routine.

    Mr Bekoe applauded them for adding value to local bird production while creating jobs for Ghanaians.

    One of the major problems the project sought to address was the large-scale importation of chicken as a country, he said, and that building the capacity of local farmers was necessary to address the perennial challenge.

    The initial plan, according to the Director, was to engage as many poultry farmers as possible, but a lot of challenges were encountered hence the decision to target anchor farmers, who had the capacity to process poultry meat and bring other out growers on board.

    Mr Bekoe said as financing the project suffered a setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Obaatan Cares Programme stepped in to subsidise 50 per cent of interest on loans for the farmers.

    “The ultimate goal is to achieve zero importation of chicken, but it will take us a few years to get there looking at the gap and the current economic crisis,” he said.

    A Technical Officer at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Michael Baidoo said the intervention by Obaatanpa Cares was to make funds accessible to the farmers to grow their businesses.

    He said the team was impressed with the level of productivity at the processing units and expressed the readiness of the programme to support them to achieve the desired results.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Rockland Farms, Ms Edith Akosah Wheatland, said her outfit had the capacity to process 5,000 birds a day and that the vision was to establish a bigger factory to process eight million birds a year.

    She said the intervention by the government was a step in the right direction to spur growth but more could be done in the form of tax waiver to make the local poultry industry competitive.

    Mr Boris Baidoo, the Chief Executive Officer of Boris B Farms, commended the Government for the support and called for investment in machinery.

    Source: MyJoyOnline

  • Agric Ministry to expand sale of ‘cheap foodstuff’ to Efua Sutherland park

    The Ministry for Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has announced plans to replicate its sale of cheaper foodstuff to the public at the Efua Sutherland Park to incorporate more local food products.

    The Agric Ministry on Friday, November 11, 2022, began the retailing of food items at its premises to civil and local government workers only.

    According to the Ministry, the move forms part of efforts to cushion Ghanaians and mitigate the impact of rising food prices on the market.

    Citi FM’s Caleb Kudah reported from the premises that the first truckload of plantain arrived around 8 am on Friday.

    He added that some patrons expressed their happiness over the low prices of the products.

    The Public Relations Officer at the Agric Ministry, Bagbara Tanko, told Kudah that the plan to expand the Planting for and Jobs market to the Efua Sutherland Park will enable it to cater for more Ghanaians.

    “I can even say that we are extending this to the Efua Sutherland Park, where we are going to have the Ghanaian rice and the Plantain and other things available,” Mr Tanko said.

    The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, had earlier said data gathered by the Ministry showed massive disparities between prices at the production areas and urban centres due to the costs within the value chain, hence the need for the initiative.

    Though the move has been criticized by a section of the public and other stakeholders, the pilot exercise has taken off at the ministry.

    A former Deputy Finance Minister, Mona Quartey in an earlier interview said the plan to retail farm produce at the Agric Ministry is unsustainable.

    Also, a former Research Scientist with the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Professor Roger Kanton, downplayed the feasibility of carting food products from rural areas to sell at the Ministry in Accra.

  • Government to support farmers with $150m Indian Exim Bank facility – Agric Minister

    A US$150 million Indian Exim Bank facility is being arranged by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to support farmers across the country.

    Answering questions on the floor of parliament, the sector minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie, noted that the money to be given out to these farmers is intended to establish Agriculture Mechanisation Services Centres (AMSEC) in every district.

    This initiative, he says, will improve access to affordable agricultural equipment and mechanised services in the country.

    “Mr. Speaker, this is intended to promote the establishment of private sector-owned mechanisation centres to support farmers,” the minister said.

    The AMSEC initiative is to assist in providing mechanisation services to smallholder farmers.

    According to the Agric Minister, this will not be the first time the AMSEC initiative will be implemented by the MoFA.

    He said the ministry, since 2018, has imported various agricultural machinery and equipment from Brazil for sale to interested farmers at subsidized rates across
    the country.

    Dr Afriyie Akoto stated that farmers will have the services of mechanisation at subsidized rates.

     

     

  • Viral disease that affects okro, cucumber detected

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) says it has detected a viral disease that affects mostly okra, cucumber, and tomato crops in the Lawra Municipality.

    The disease is not peculiar to only Lawra, but also detected in other adjoining districts such as Lambussie.

    “A report has been sent to our regional office for proper investigation to be conducted to come up with an effective solution,” Mr Yer Simon, the Lawra Municipal Director of Agriculture, has disclosed.

    He said farmers in the affected districts had been advised to uproot and bury the affected plants to help stop their spread in the communities.

    Mr Simon made this known when he gave an overview of the agricultural activities at a farmer’s forum held in Lawra to usher in the “Kobine” Festival of the Chiefs and people of the Lawra Traditional Area.

    The forum was on the theme: “Crop cultivation in the era of climate change.”

    Mr Simon, who spoke on “Sustaining our agricultural productivity in post COVID-19 challenges and opportunities”, said the department over the years worked effectively with women in the Agricultural Platform (WAP) to improve their agricultural activities in the municipality.

    He announced that through the Modernisation of the Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) programme, one of the women groups had secured a rice milling destoner machine, to be used to improve the quality of locally milled rice.

    He said 24 simple hand sewing machines were supplied on subsidised bases to some women and other farmer groups by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to help improve agricultural mechanisation and reduce drudgery in agricultural activities.

    The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the Ghana Rice Interoperability also gave 10 slashers to some groups for weeding and harvesting of rice in the municipality.

    On the food crops situation, the Agricultural Director said farmers who planted early at the commencement of the rains had to re-sow due to poor germination of seeds in some parts of the municipality.

    Mr Simon said input prices also recorded a marginal increase, and farmers who could not afford inorganic fertilizers for maize cultivation went into the growing of other crops such as soya beans, millet, sorghum, and groundnuts.

    He said under the Planting for Food and Jobs, 400 bags of NPK fertilizer were brought to the municipality and farmers could not buy fertilizers from the open market due to higher prices of the product.

    He said, the Fall Army Worm cases were recorded, and the situation was severe during the dry spell periods but that the department was able to secure some chemicals from the regional office and distributed to farmers free of charge to curtail the problem.

    Outlining some of the challenges facing the department, Mr Simon mentioned that inadequate extension officers and coordination support were hindering the smooth extension delivery in the municipality.

    Naa Dery Aatona , Chief of Zambo, who chaired the forum, urged farmers to diversify their farming activities especially in the areas of animal husbandry and livestock production in the wake of the climate change.

    He appealed to the government to continue with the provision of small-scale dams in the communities to help farmers to undertake all-year-round farming activities.