MoFA holds workshop on Seeds Technologies

Accra, Feb. 12, GNA - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is collaborating with various donor partners to introduce in Ghana, the Scaling Seeds and Technologies Partnership in Africa, intended to accelerate smallholder farmer access to transformative agricultural technologies.The partnership which is being funded by USAID is to be implemented in the country by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), under a 47- million-dollar project that would also be implemented in six African countries over a period of three years.Governments from countries in Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania, would be assisted to strengthen their seed sectors and promote the commercialisation, distribution and adoption of quality seeds of superior varieties and other key technologies for small-holder farmers.MoFA, therefore in collaboration with International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) opened a two-day workshop on Tuesday in Accra to bring together close to 150 stakeholders from ministries, agencies, research institutions, international development organisations and universities to deliberate on how the programme should be implemented in Ghana.Participants would identify key technologies and innovations with the potential to take to scale, identify the potent regions in Ghana to implement activities of the partnership as well as provide relevant information to stakeholders on available opportunities for support by the Partnership to support scaling in Ghana.Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister, MoFA in charge of Crops said over the years, improved seeds and other technologies had been introduced to Ghanaian farmers by national research efforts complemented by international research programmes.He said efforts of extension services and series of externally funded projects had all improved seed varieties like Obatampa and Mamaba maize varieties that had been widely adopted by farmers in Ghana.“Often however, the rise in yields associated with the introduction of new seeds has proven to be short lived and national average yields have remained substantially below potential yields levels”He indicated that the persistent “yield gap” are also a result of inadequate supply of certified seeds, the inability for farmers to apply recommended levels of fertilizers and other agronomic practices as well as undeveloped markets to handle the increased production.Dr Alhassan said the Partnership was therefore important and that the stakeholders’ workshop would help to generate some consensus among participants to deliver technologies to farmers in a much more consistent manner.He said there was also the need to pay attention to the output market to ensure that farmers were able to sell their produce at a good price.Dr Kwasi Ampofo, Country Representative of AGRA, in a speech read on his behalf by Dr Kehinde Makinde, Programme Officer, Agro-Dealer Development, AGRA said AGRA with support from Feed the Future through USAID, was conducting the Programme as announced in July 2013, as a contribution to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.The New Alliance, which is a shared commitment of G8 partners, African leaders, and private sector partners aims to lift 50 million people in sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty by 2022.Dr Ampofo expressed AGRA’s confidence that the new programme would enhance the coordination of stakeholders’ activities in the value chain and also assist in rapid deployment of on-the-shelf technologies that would raise agricultural productivity, food security and incomes of millions of farmers.“This will add a strong impetus to the efforts of AGRA and other stakeholders in the sector, leading ultimately to low food prices for consumers and providing further evidence that Ghana is poised to achieving a green revolution”, Dr Ampofo noted.Mr John Brighenti, Agriculture Officer, Economic Growth Team, USAID said the Partnership “represent a true partnership between governments and private sector, championed by the people, who are together adopting country driven approach to developing and improving agriculture production.He explained further that the Partnership would align the commitment of Africa’s leadership to drive effective country plans and policies for food security; and the commitments of private sector partners to increase investments where conditions were right, as well as the commitment of G8 to expand Africa’s potential for rapid and sustainable growth.The Scaling Seeds and Technologies Partnership will help strengthen seed sectors, including regulatory systems, and create new local seed companies to ensure that game-changing technologies reached and improved the lives of millions of smallholder farmers.GNA Read Full Story