By Philip Tengzu/Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Nov 22, GNA – Feed the Future Policy LINK Activity, has called for a coordinated approach to strengthen and create a robust seed sector to enhance agricultural production in the country.
Miss Annie Dela Akanko, Programme Lead, United States Agency for International Development (USAID} said climate change had come to stay, emphasising need for resilient interventions for a sustainable seed sector to counter the climate crises on the agricultural sector.
She made the call in Tamale during the fifth edition of the National Seed Business and Networking Forum dubbed: “SEEDLINK 2024”, on the theme: “Unlocking Sustainable Financing Opportunities for Agricultural Resilience and a Robust Seed Value Chain in Ghana”.
The two-day event, which ended in Tamale, was organised in partnership with the USAID Feed the Future Ghana Policy LINK Activity, National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NasTAG), Feed the Future Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Fertagro and Mayiya Investments Limited.
It was attended by various stakeholders such as representatives from research and academic institutions, farmer groups, financial institutions, seed companies, private sector players, women including persons with disabilities, among others.
The forum was tailored towards a business-oriented approach that reflected the industry’s growing demand for solutions to key challenges such as limited access to finance, logistical inefficiencies and the fragmented supply chain.
It also sought to align with the country’s broader vision for agricultural transformation as outlined in the phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme, the ongoing review of Ghana’s strategic seed plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those targeting food security and economic growth (SGDs 2,8 and 13).
Ms Akanko said “It is important we sensitise farmers to understand that as much as they have the right seeds, knowing that there is location-based climate information would help them to be able to have climate information as well as know when to plant because seasons are changing and these will help them to make the yields that they expect.”
Dr Amos Rutherford Azinu, President of NasTAG, said SEEDLINK, over the years, had evolved into a far more than a forum, adding it had become a major platform where policies were shaped, partnerships formed, and solutions emerged.
He said the forum was part of efforts to solicit stakeholders and industry players’ support towards improving and building a more vibrant and inclusive sector that would enhance access and affordability of seeds for all farmers.
GNA