By Gloria Anderson
USAID and AGRA say they have made significant achievements in transforming agriculture in Ghana. USAID and AGRA formed a partnership five years ago to increase efforts toward contributing to inclusive agriculture transformation in Ghana.
At a learning event organized by AGRA, the two institutions highlighted three key areas where progress was made. The USAID-AGRA PIATA partnership seeks to build systems that catalyze the adoption of quality inputs, such as improved seeds and fertilizers, and create an enabling environment for private sector participation in the input delivery system.
Over the last five years, AGRA with funding from USAID has increased its effort towards contributing to inclusive agricultural transformation.
The Vice President of Partnerships and Chief of Party at AGRA, Vanessa Adams, acknowledged the progress made, saying the learning event will help improve the partnership, bridge all gaps and ensure that much more is achieved in the targeted areas. She said the assessment of seed quality has improved.
Through the partnership, 130,000 smallholder farmers were assisted with more than 8,000 mt of certified seeds produced. Again, about 100,000 smallholder farmers had access to input and output markets through last mile delivery systems.
Madam Adams mentioned that in the area of capacity building, more than 3000 people were trained and facilitated to conduct step-down training for farmers.
Again, the partnership supported the dissemination of agricultural advisory services to more than 400,000 smallholder farmers through digital rural interactive radio programs. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture was also supported to train private seed inspectors to complement public sector seed inspectors.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kofi Frimpong applauded the role AGRA has played in transforming agriculture in Ghana and urged it to intensify efforts at opening up new opportunities and partnerships for an inclusive and sustainable input system for food security.
AGRA worked with a number of key stakeholders to achieve the successes chalked up one of the stakeholders, Farm Radio, Benjamin Fiafor said AGRA and USAID did not only provide the support, but held engagements with all implementing partners to help address their challenges to ensure that targeted results are achieved.
USAID and AGRA are hopeful that the learning event will equip key stakeholders with information about the future outlook to continue contributing to the building of systems that catalyze the adoption of quality inputs.
