About 500 women have registered to participate in the maiden edition of the Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Forum & Expo (WOFAGRIC) and Gold in the Soil Awards, scheduled to begin from 12^th – 13th of June, 2019, at Chances Hotel, Ho, Volta Region.

This event is the first of its kind in the agricultural sector for the recognition of women and their immeasurable contribution in agribusiness.

The two-day event themed; Women! Key Partners in Shaping Agribusiness is expected to empower, encourage and reward the efforts of women in Agribusiness. WOFAGRIC seeks to recognize the contribution of women in the Agricultural sector, support their innovations and empower others to venture into the sector. This event’s aim is to give women a voice, offer them a platform and champion the cause of the Agric businesswoman. It would also serve as a means of bridging the gender inequality gap in the agriculture sector and provide women with an array of opportunities for networking.

As part of its contribution towards the two-day event, the Canadian embassy has made a commitment to provide funding and technical support. The 1^st secretary-Development High Commission of Canada to Ghana, Marie Claude Harvey said: “As a key partner of Ghana, we have in recent times seen the need to increase efforts towards women. This is because women represent an essential part of the society through which the rest of society can be positively impacted.

Focusing on gender equality (in agric) for us is an opportunity to address the root-cause of poverty. Women play a key role in agriculture but there is a big gap in terms of access when compared to their male counterparts. This we believe makes it naturally difficult for women to transition from subsistence farming to one of industrial proportion. We are thrilled to know that WOFAGRIC is specifically targeted at women making it a fantastic opportunity for women to improve their businesses and expand.”

Mentorship and training sessions by YARA Ghana, Sidalco, Interplast and ADB; sponsors of the event, would encourage and empower women who want to venture into agribusiness. There would also be a session where women would be trained on the processing of rice milk, tiger nut powder, groundnut and cocoa powder so that they can be self-sufficient with the skills they would acquire at the event.

Gold in the Soil Awards, a core component of the programe will recognize and reward outstanding women who have made significant contributions in agribusiness. The Gold in the soil award received over 50 nominations since nominations opened and is spread across fourteen(14) categories that include; Passion for Farm Award, She Innovates Award, Super Woman Award, Women in Extension Services, Star in Ag Awards, Diamond in the Rough Awards, Feed to Food Award, Change Champion Award, Royal Agro Award (Queen mothers), Lady of the Region Export Award, Climate Smart Women Project awards, Princess “Carla Denizard” Award, Development Partner Award and the most coveted Gold in the Soil Award.

According to Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, “It is an obvious reality that women for instance do not receive adequate support in their quest to compete with their male counterparts despite their immense contribution to the sector”. This event would put women in the forefront and also acknowledge their achievements and contributions to the growth of their community and the nation as a whole.”

WOFAGRIC Partners in the agriculture sector include Women in Agricultural development (WIAD), National Farmers & Fishermen Award Winners’ Association and AGRA. International partners include Brazilian Embassy, Embassy of Israel, USAID’s ADVANCE PROJECT, Netherlands Embassy and USAD Amplified.

WOFAGRIC is expected to move to a different region every year, offering women all over the country an equal chance to be encouraged and celebrated.

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 20^th 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