YARA GHANA’S FERTLIZER TERMINAL – SUPPORTING THE DRIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA FOR INDUSTRIALIZATION
Yara Ghana has gone beyond what it is currently doing in supporting agriculture in Ghana by investing fifteen million dollars (USD15,000.00), in the construction of a fertilizer Terminal, comprising of Warehousing units and a State of the art Blends production Unit.
This without a doubt will lead to a significant boost to the Government’s Planting for Food and Jobs initiative in particular and agriculture in the country general. I can only say ‘Ayekoo’ to you Yara. With an input support of this nature among others, we hope to raise agriculture’s contribution to GDP to a significant height in the nearest future.
Also according to a Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, the Government, since assuming office has prioritized the transformation and modernization of the Ghanaian economy. A modernized economy must have a strong industrial sector. The Fertilizer Terminal is also meant to reduce turnaround time of the Port since bulk materials will not be bagged at the portside and in turn, increase Yara’s production storage capacity as well as making Yara Ghana, the gateway for the supply of fertilizer to other West African countries.
Yara Ghana was established in 2007. Since then, Yara has established itself in the industry as a leader in the provision of crop nutrition solutions for crop growth and quality, securing and enhancing the profitability of the farmer.
Some of Yara’s interventions to support agriculture in Ghana include;
- Providing training and knowledge for farmers, Agricultural Extension Officers as well as dealers in agro-inputs. The focus among others is on the right application of fertilizers: right nutrients, right time and right place.
- Scientific trials aimed at evolving cost effective crop nutrition solutions and programs for Ghanaian farmers, collaborating with key agricultural research institutes such as Crop Research Institute (CRI), Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), etc.
- Yara has also been increasing its supply of fertilizers to the market, and improving access to fertilizers for farmers through a wide distribution network of over 300 distributors and retailers across the country.
- A key partner in government programs to develop agriculture over the years, and today, in the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs Program – Yara brings capacity to support and strengthen the program for success.
- Partnerships to promote good agronomic practices and promote the course of agriculture in Ghana. One such collaboration is with USAID/ADVANCE, with whom together in 2018 we set up over 250 farmer based demonstration fields to train farmers and also showed the possibility of high yield and profitability of the farmer.
- Supporting women farmers such as the St Cecilia Cooperative in Northern Ghana. The co-operative is made up predominantly of widows.
Yara over the years has made significant investments in Ghana, the latest being the new Terminal facility launched on the 20th of February, 2019. The facility has the capacity for blending and bagging of 100mt (2,000 50kg bags) per hour and a storage capacity of about 50,000mt (1million 50kg bags).
This new facility strengthens Yara’s position to support the government’s PFJ program and also support farmers and the agric value chain stronger.
Objectives of project :
- Reduce turnaround time at the port since bulk material will not be bagged portside
- To increase Yara’s production and storage capacity
- To position Yara Ghana as a gateway to supply fertilizer to other West Africa countries
- Increase Yara Ghana’s capacity to supply to the market on time and all through the farming season
- Enhance operational and HESQ efficiency
Benefits of project to Ghana
- Though wholly financed by Yara, the facility will support the drive of the government of Ghana for industrialization through the 1D1F programme since the facility is a full scale production unit capable of producing and bagging different fertilizer blends and other fertilizer products
- It will help facilitate the ready supply and availability of our premium crop nutrition solutions to the Ghanaian farmer to enhance their productivity and livelihoods.
- It has Increased Yara Ghana’s capacity to produce any site specific blends recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and deliver to all parts of the country.
- Place Yara Ghana in good position to strongly support the government flagship programme Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
- The increased capacity of the facility will require more human resource hence creating varied employment opportunities
Benefits of project to West Africa sub region
With the increasing recognition of Ghana as a hub for trade and investment in the West Africa Sub Region and the African continent in general, this terminal facility will make Ghana a hub for the supply of fertilizer inputs within the sub region since the facility has the capacity to supply Ghana and beyond.
This will help in turn increase employment opportunities directly and indirectly within the value chain.
Let me take this opportunity to urge others in the private sector to also come up with other innovative and modern ways by which we can together improve the quality of the agric sector. Join hands with government in pushing the agric sector to take its rightful place at the top of the nation’s economy, a place it had dominated for several decades.
ALBERTA NANA AKYAA AKOSA
Lead Consultant and Founder – Agrihouse Communications and Agrihouse Foundation