Stakeholders in agric trained on best practices
Over 40 stakeholders in the agricultural sector drawn from 14 districts across the country have undergone a three-day sensitisation programme to empower them on the best practices in the sector to boost food production in the country.
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The participants included farmers, agric extension officers and agro input dealers. They were taken through topics such as post-harvest losses reduction, crop improvement, maintenance, seed processing as well as storage of agricultural produce.
They were also schooled on how to identify suitable varieties of improved crops, pest control, agric economics and looking for market outlets for their produce.
It was organised by the Crop Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (SCIR-CRI) at Fumesua in the Ashanti Region.
Innovation
It is an innovative platform initiated by the Agricultural Productivity Technology Centre (APTC) of the CSIR in collaboration with the Council for Technical Vocation Education Training (COTVET), through its Skill Development Fund (SDF).
The Project Coordinator, Mr Jonas Osei-Adu, said the programme began in 2012 but later received support from the COTVET to partner the SCIR in setting up the APTC at Fumesua.
He said the move was part of measures adopted by the APTC to reach out to the public to adhere to profitable agricultural practices, promotion and marketing.
The project would soon make available documentaries at markets to sensitise and encourage people who are interested in farming to take up the vocation.
According to Mr Osei-Adu, the group is also designing a Short Message Service (SMS) system that will help people have access to technological advancement in the sector via mobile phones and Electronic-commerce platforms to boost production and sale of their produce.
Commitment
The Director of the SCIR, Dr Stella Ennin, said her outfit was committed to creating an enabling environment for all stakeholders to boost growth in the agriculture sector, especially through modern technology.
She explained that the Innovation Platforms had been established across several districts in the country to bring all stakeholders on board in the agric production value chain.
Dr Ennin appealed to the government to adequately resource the CSIR to enable it to carry out more research in other areas to equip farmers.
