Kwasi Ahwoi
Agricultural Trade and Investment Promotion Centre, organizers of the international agricultural trade fair dubbed, “AGRIFA 2011” in collaboration with the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana (NFFAWAG), has taken steps to make this year’s event successful and sustainable.
To this end, key marketing strategies have been employed and they have so far wooed about 100 exhibitors from Europe and other parts of the world to exhibit their products and services at the fair which will commence from October 14-22, 2011 at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre, La, Accra.
The fair will run concurrently with seminars relating to each agricultural subsector such as Agricultural Finance & Insurance, Agricultural mechanization & irrigation Seminar, Post Harvest Management, Value chain and export, Fisheries, Aqua Culture. Poultry and Livestock, Food Bazaar, Farmers Forum and launching of the farmers fund.
AGRIFA 2011 is an initiative by Ghanaian farmers geared towards promoting, marketing and packaging local agricultural produce, introducing appropriate agricultural technology in the sector to boost production to increase income of agricultural producers, guarantee national food security and boosting employment opportunities.
It is also expected to promote the consumption of local agricultural produce, which has more health benefits than the imported ones.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), on its part, noted that promoting and marketing local agricultural produce in Ghana has been a challenge due to trade liberalization, among others. And that effort to address the problem by the Ministry is through enhancing appropriate public private partnerships. This has motivated MOFA and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) to support the organizers of AGRIFA 2011.
As part of efforts to make the event a reality, some key stakeholders and agricultural service providers research intuition, universities, financial institutions and corporate bodies have pledged to significantly support AGRIFA 2011.
Philip Abayori, President of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana, who is also the Chairman of the National Planning Committee of AGRIFA 2011, called on corporate bodies to take advantage of the overwhelming business opportunities that abound in the agricultural sector, adding that “farmers alone cannot produce, process, package and market their own produce all by themselves while industry and the business community continue to import the same produce”.
He emphasized that the time has come for Ghanaian farmers and fishermen to take their destiny into their own hands to sell business opportunities that exist in the sector to properly transform the value chain system into a practicable one and also create awareness about the health benefits in the consumption of local agricultural produce.
Mr Abayori indicated that all National Best farmers and Fishermen will exhibit their produce at the upcoming AGIFFA 2011, while regional and district best farmers and fishermen will be attendance.
He said the number of award winners since the inception of the national farmers award scheme stands at 77,000, while none award winning members of NFFAWAG total 1. 475 million.
Given their numerical strength, the launch of the farmers and investment fund during AGRIFA 2011 will strengthen their purchasing power and ensure easy access to loans by farmers and fishermen in country.
Mr. Abayori therefore called on all farmers to endeavor to participate in the forthcoming AGRIFA 2011.