Agriculture Stakeholders Discuss Future of Fertilizer and Agro-Inputs in Ghana
Annie Dela Akanko (left), Ghana Policy LINK Program Lead, leads a panel discussion at the round table.
On April 17, 2023, the Feed the Future (FtF) Ghana Policy LINK Activity collaborated with the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) to convene a public-private dialogue, which discussed the future of fertilizer and agro-inputs in Ghana.
The event, a precursor to the AFAP West Africa public-private dialogues held on April 18 and 19 in Accra, sought to raise stakeholders’ awareness of the draft African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan and prepare Ghana’s delegation to the upcoming African Fertilizer Summit in June 2023 by informing the country’s position, response, and submissions. The meeting also aimed to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the implications of the action plan as well as validate it by providing feedback on the draft.
The over 150 participants, who included representatives of government and private businesses, discussed innovative ways to make fertilizer and agro-inputs more available and affordable to smallholder farmers, the impact of climate change on agriculture in Ghana, the need for better soil management practices, and using technology to improve the fertilizer and agro-input markets. They identified practical solutions and recommended actions, including increasing investments in research and development for new fertilizer products and technologies, improving access to credit for smallholder farmers, and strengthening public-private partnerships.
Participants pose for a group photo outside the venue.
Hon. Yaw Frimpong, Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Crops at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), said that “the Government is committed to investing in the agriculture sector and supporting the development of innovative solutions to improve soil health and increase agricultural productivity.” He expressed his appreciation to Policy LINK and AFAP for providing a platform for stakeholders to engage in dialogue and find solutions to the challenges the fertilizer and agro-inputs sectors face.
Michael Sudarkasa, CEO of AFAP, emphasized the need for partnerships and collaborations in tackling the challenges that hold back the fertilizer and agro-inputs sectors. He affirmed AFAP’s commitment to work with all stakeholders toward developing practical solutions to the challenges in Ghana’s agriculture sector.
“Fertilizer is one of the key policy areas [Policy LINK] is supporting government and other agriculture actors in Ghana with,” said Yunus Abdulai, Country Lead for the Ghana Policy LINK Activity. He stressed the importance of improving fertilizer availability and access to it by smallholder farmers.
He thanked participants for their contributions to the discussions, which will inform the development of evidence-based policy recommendations to support the fertilizer and agro-inputs sectors in Ghana. Mr. Abdulai called on stakeholders to collaborate towards reviving the country’s soil health, especially in northern Ghana. “This will ensure the sustenance of agricultural production in the coming years,” he added.
Participants at the public-private dialogue also included the country focal points for the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), agribusiness and trade associations (e.g. organic farmers associations, input suppliers, and fertilizer and soil testing service providers), and the Country Delegation to the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit.
Resources
Africa Fertilizer & Soil Health Summit brochure.
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