Agriculture Extension Officers in the Sissala East and Sissala West Municipal Assemblies of the Upper West Region have welcomed the Warehouse Receipt Systems, WRS, project which seeks to help farmers to improve post harvest management.
The project, which is being implemented in nine regions, is a technical assistance and advisory services that facilitate farmers access to credit and to the supply chain.
The WRS initiatives introduced by the International Finance Corporation, IFC, of the World Bank Group, is to help farmers to get value for their investment.
At a two-day training session in Tumu, the Extension Officers admitted that the WRS initiatives would enable smallholder farmers to earn more money for their produce, thereby improving their livelihoods.
According to the Sissala East Municipal Director of Agriculture, Clement Kawuribi, the WRS activities has open up opportunities for farmers to market their produce
The Warehouse Receipt Systems, WRS is necessary pre-condition for the successful operations of the Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX).
The project addresses policy, regulatory and system level issues, including technical advisory, training, capacity building and awareness creation for various stakeholders in the public and private sector.
The Sissala East Municipal Director of Agriculture, Clement Kawuribi, expressed worry that farmers produce more but are often challenged with marketing.
Mr. Kawuribi said the WRS present opportunities for them to improve the lives of farmers. He said the initiative has come at an opportune time to support farmers.
An Agricultural Extension Agent in the Sissala East Municipality, Haruna Dasmana, expressed delight that the project will empower the farmers to determine their own prices and not be cheated by middlemen.
The International Finance Corporation, IFC, a sister organisation of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets.
It also works with more than two thousand businesses worldwide, using capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the the world.
In 2018 fiscal year, IFC delivered more than 23 billion in long-term financing for developing countries. For more information, visit www.ifc.org
