By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, Feb. 19, GNA – The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT II) Soybean Compact has trained 30 youth and women-led enterprises in soybean oil extraction and related value addition to strengthen Ghana’s soybean value chain.
The training is part of the TAAT initiative’s broader effort to enhance productivity, promote value addition, and improve market opportunities across the continent.
Dr Charles Nelimor, Project Coordinator of the TAAT II Soybean Compact at CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), speaking during the training in Tamale, said the project had trained more than 5,000 farmers and seed producers on best soybean production practices since its inception in June 2024.
He noted, “We have realised that soybean production has increased. The problem now is value addition.”
Dr Nelimor explained that while grain production had improved significantly, small-scale processors needed practical skills to extract oil and utilise by-products to maximise economic returns.
“That is why we have organised this training for our small-scale processors to build their capacity on how to produce or extract soya oil from soybean,” he said.
As part of the training, participants visited a modest processing facility at Fuo in Tamale for a hands-on demonstration, aimed at showing that production could begin without expensive or sophisticated equipment.
Dr Nelimor added, “We didn’t take them to a well-established facility because we don’t want a situation where they feel they don’t have the resources to get all the equipment and then go back discouraged.”
He encouraged participants to apply the skills gained to start local production, generate income, and support their households.
Dr Desmond Sunday Adogoba, socio-economist and Coordinator of Innovation Platforms under the Soybean Compact, said the project operates through structured innovation platforms across seed production, grain production, and oil processing.
He explained that the seed platform focuses on producing quality seeds for farmers, the grain platform promotes improved agronomic practices to increase yields, and the oil processing platform supports local extraction of high-quality soybean oil using readily available materials.
Dr Adogoba said, “We are introducing participants to local production first where materials are readily available in their localities. Later on, we will let them see the industrial process.”
Dr Omykunle Oluwaseun, Technology Transfer Officer for the Soybean Compact at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, noted that soybean is a protein-rich legume with high nutritional and income potential.
He added that the training would help participants start with simple processing methods and gradually scale up to more advanced technologies.
The training was delivered in two phases and included practical sessions on soybean oil extraction, feed production from soya cake, and soya milk processing.
Modules covered oil extraction efficiency, filtration, storage, feed formulation, hygiene, packaging, pricing, and market linkage support.
The Soybean Compact operates under the TAAT II framework, a continental initiative aimed at accelerating agricultural transformation by scaling proven technologies across Africa.
Nasara Fuseini, a participant, lauded the training, saying the practical demonstrations had equipped her to begin small-scale soybean oil production.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh./Audrey Dekalu