From left: Ligaya Diaz, Edwin Bekoe, Dr. Julius Hagan and Dr. Richard Osei Amponsah
ORGANISERS OF the 7th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture (AACAA) have indicated that the upcoming event aims to complement government’s ‘Rearing for Meat and Jobs’ initiative, which is targeted at increasing animal production through a globally acceptable framework.
Themed: “Innovations
to ensure the future of animal agriculture in Africa in a globalizing world”,
the event, a rotational quadrennial one for African countries, is slated for
Monday, 29th July to Friday 2nd August, 2019, at the Accra
International Conference Centre.
Ghana has
become the first country in West Africa to host it this year with the headline
sponsor being the USDA.
As the
single largest event that brings together all stakeholders in the livestock
industry under one roof, the conference is expecting about 500 local and
international participants made up of policymakers, animal scientists, farmers,
and private sector financial institutions, among others.
Director of
the Animal Production Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, Edwin Bekoe, stated
the importance of keeping livestock as it formed a pivotal link in the Ghanaian
farming and livelihood systems.
He
highlighted that livestock production accounted for 14 per cent of agricultural
GDP as it was a major source of income for most farmers in the country. He
added that it would reduce rural poverty.
The All
African Society for Animal Production (AASAP) is collaborating with the Ghana
Society of Animal Production (GSAP), Ghana Animal Science Association (GASA)
and Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), to host it under the
auspices of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Ghana.
The 2019
edition of the livestock, poultry and fisheries trade show (LiPF) which is an
initiative of MoFA and Agrihouse Foundation will run alongside the 7th AACAA.
It is an
initiative that aims to showcase and promote the country’s livestock, poultry and
fisheries production, value chain and job opportunities through exhibitions and
training programmes.
