The 4th National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO) ended successfully in Accra with a sharp focus on agric value chains and technology for enhanced food security and poverty alleviation.
The three-day annual fun-filled and educational event, christened ?Linking farmers to the market: a value chain process? brought together 150 exhibitors, farmer groups, government officials, the international community, civil society, market women, students and various local international actors in the agric sector.
Major highlights of this year?s event included daily exhibitions, free daily seminars, business-to-business meetings with Brazilian companies, an international food fair and a GIZ-Sponsored drama?highlighting the challenges facing the agric sector, how they can be improved and the importance of FAGRO.
According to FAGRO Exhibition Director Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, FAGRO as an annual event has set itself apart as the only agric fair in the country that provides the platform for farmers and participants to network, form strategic partnerships and learn modern techniques of Agricultural marketing, the appropriate and modern use of farming technology and also farm business management such as laws and policies, accessing land, water, effective production services, resource management and conversation practices.
?FAGRO this year has drawn exhibitors from the whole country and various diplomatic missions in Ghana. The range and quality of products, exhibitors and visitors was very impressive, and a testimony of the potential of FAGRO to serve as a catalyst in developing Ghana?s agricultural sector.?
?I believe FAGRO has a potential not only to market Ghana?s agricultural potential but also serve as an important vehicle to educate people especially the youth to get into agriculture and in so doing contribute in increasing food production in the country.? She said.
She stated that FAGRO for the next five years (5) years will focus on the value chain process; by linking farmers to the appropriate markets, with the hope of creating a commercial platform, where growers come into direct contact with the other actors in the value chain process.
She said Ghanaian farmers need seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs that are accessible and affordable; they need technology to hasten agricultural production; facilities must be in place for their production and post-harvest needs. They also need help to protect the environment and be assured of their main source of survival.
The global food system is broken and if small-scale farmers were given more power, more sustainable techniques and more investment, they could play a huge part in fixing it. In many countries, it is not the policy as such which militates against small-scale farmers, but the budgetary, technical and/or administrative implementation of the specific policy that falls short and needs to be adjusted to generate positive impact for smallholders, she stated.
?We are indeed humbled by the success of FAGRO with the numerous support and partnership we have received from; the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), GIZ, YARA, Prairie Volta (producers of Aveyime rice), GIZ, Stanbic Bank GH Ltd among others.?
FAGRO, an initiative of Infocus PR has over the years created opportunities for local and international actors in agriculture to find a common platform to form strategic partnerships that have helped them in expanding their businesses.
It has also opened up Ghana?s agricultural potentials to investors who wish to better understand the dynamics and resource potentials of the country and how best to take advantage of them.
Source: INFOCUSPRLtd
