The Agrihouse Foundation has launched the 2021 Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibition Fair at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in the northern regional capital, Tamale. It is the 11th edition of the annual Pre-harvest Agribusiness market platform for actors in the value-chain.
Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa in her subsmission said the three day conference will mark the beginning of value chain partnership to promote sustainable agricultural initiatives, increased use of innovation and technology to help us build a modern agricultural sector.
The 11th Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibition is on the theme: “Working together to improve market channels for agri-foods beyond the pandemic”
In light of this, Ms Alberta said successful agribusiness modules will be highlighted and introduce farmers and other value-chain actors to successful case studies of agribusiness and projects they can possibly adopt as they curve a growth and investment path for their respective agribusinesses.
She added farmers and stakeholders will be engaged in various capacity building and training sessions that will help them adopt best farming practices to increase their yields and productivity.
“Sessions like the commodity Breakout Session and Farmer-Buyer Matchmaking Dialogues would connect food crops farmers to aggregators and processing companies that are looking to purchase raw materials in large quantities ahead of the harvest season. Such engagements allow for direct market for the farmers and halts concerns like post-harvest losses” she explained.
The Agrihouse Foundation Executive Director revealed over 70 business deals were made in 2019 during the exhibition and more than GHS232, 420,745 of agri products and equipment were sold and bought.
“As I summarize, I would like to reiterate that in 2018, the Agribusiness Conference won the Agribusiness event of the year award for helping to promote business partnerships among value chain actors, especially famers, buyers, processors, transporters, input dealers, equipment dealers, financial institutions, telecom companies and policy makers.
“The pandemic has taught us the need for preparedness. And now is the time for all of us to work together, both private and public stakeholders, to scale-up value chain initiatives such as the Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibitions as a modern module for the continuous growth and transformation of market systems for Agri-foods” Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa stated.
Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, at the launch underscored the importance of the Agribusiness Conference to the nation’s economy especially the five regions in the north.
He noted agriculture is the backbone of the Ghana’s economy and accounts for over 74% of northern Ghana’s employment but lamented that the rich and diverse agricultural potential of this region remains untapped.
“It is against this background that, we here in the north, appreciate the measurable gains we are seeing in our region here in the north since the advent of the Pre-harvest event” Mr. Shani Alhassan Shaibu said.
Nevertheless, the Minister added efforts of the Akufo-Addo government is also directed towards accelerating development in the northern zone, especially, the flagship Planting for Food and Jobs Program.
“Therefore, while thanking the private sector and our development partners who have, also, been consistently supporting this program, I still wish to urge them as well as others who are yet to throw their weight behind this effort to ramp up their rallying efforts so that the organisers can successfully achieve the scaling up they desire” he posited.
