Tropenbos Ghana holds multi-stakeholder dialogue on agriculture to address key challenges
Tropenbos Ghana, on Thursday, July 20, held a multi-stakeholder dialogue on agriculture in Accra.
The event was attended by all stakeholders including farmers and farmer associations from Ejura, Techiman, Donkorkrom, and Sefwi Wiawso, among others from various project districts.
Operators in the agricultural value chain provided an opportunity to identify, discuss challenges, and proffer solutions confronting the sector.
One of the main topics discussed during the event was the use of substandard and ineffective agrochemicals.
Dr. Felix Frimpong made a presentation on the issue and proposed that regulatory bodies take measures to check and penalize those involved in smuggling such agrochemicals.
He also emphasized the need for a national testing system to ensure that only standard agrochemicals are imported.
Kwame Sekyere from the LEAN project addressed the pricing of agricultural produce based on weight. Several farmers shared their experiences with unfair purchasing practices, which often led to losses.
They stressed the importance of introducing standards for pricing and called for buyers to adhere to these standards.
The LEAN Project, focusing on priority landscapes in Ghana, aims to support efforts to conserve biodiversity, improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, build climate resilience, and reduce emissions from land-use changes.
Samuel Kofi Frimpong from the Ghana Standard Authority shed light on the standardization and conformity assessment mandate of the organization.
He explained the processes involved in product standardization and the various levels of standards.
Standardized codes for food products used by farmers were also examined.
Natson Eyram from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) highlighted the challenges posed by low standardization in the agricultural sector.
He presented a case study illustrating how this issue affects farmers and food produce. He proposed the adoption of innovation systems to address these challenges effectively.
During the break session, stakeholders were divided into groups to deliberate on pertinent issues and develop potential solutions.
One suggestion put forth was the introduction of a standardized measuring unit for both sellers and buyers to measure food produce, aiming to address the issue of unfair pricing based on weight.
Additionally, to combat the problem of substandard agrochemicals, it was proposed that regulatory bodies responsible for imports ensure that only standard agrochemicals enter the country.
The event, organized by Tropenbos Ghana in collaboration with Friends of the Nations and the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources (KNUST), received support from the EU-funded ReDIAL project.
The ReDIAL project seeks to foster transformation and innovation in agriculture and food systems in Ghana through action research, innovation technologies, and the organization of farmers and multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms.