Australia to pump $1.4m into agric sector
Australia and Ghana yesterday signed an agreement for the provision of 1.4 million Australian dollar grant to assist Ghana’s agricultural sector.
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The amount has been provided for at the request of the Directorate of the Agriculture Extension Service of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to assist in building the capacity of farmer-based organisations in Ghana for the next two years.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, signed for Ghana, while the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Joanna Adamson, initialled for her country.
Explaining, the Australian High Commissioner said the project would help farmer-based organisations to improve delivery of their services and increase access to services and markets along the agriculture value chain.
She said under the grant, extension officers would be trained in agribusinesses and farm management, agriculture value chain analysis and management, post-harvest management and contemporary extension delivery methods.
She added that the farmer-based organisation secretariat in the ministry would be strengthened to improve co-ordination of the organisation and develop capacity of selected apex bodies representing farmer-based organisations to be able to improve their services to their members.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Food and Agriculture Minister said the grant had come in handy because it would complement government budgetary allocation to support the policy of increased production and creation of wealth for farmers.
He said the grant would help in sensitising the farmers to the establishment of grain houses in districts and regions to allow farmers to send the surplus grains to be kept in these Grain Houses and in return be given chits.
He explained that farmers would be able to use the chits to buy fertilisers, and as collateral for loans, among others.
Story: Donald Ato Dapatem
