By Emelia B. Addae
Koforidua, Nov. 18, GNA-A two-day workshop focused on biosecurity and biocertification frameworks in Ghana’s poultry, piggery, and aquaculture sectors has taken place in Koforidua to update stakeholders and partners on progress in establishing biosecurity measures.
This collaborative effort marks a significant advancement in addressing the challenges within Ghana’s agricultural ecosystem and provided a platform for sharing insights and discussing ongoing issues.
Addressing participants, Dr. Mrs. Victoria Norgbey, Country President of AWARFA-N, said measures were progressing steadily to advance biosecurity framework that could certify farms and facilities that adhered to strict safety standards.
She said the collaboration underscored the necessity of a unified response to strengthen biosecurity protocols, reduce risk and ensure compliance with international standards.
According to her, research had identified several gaps in Ghana’s livestock and aquaculture biosecurity and biocertification schemes.
Key issues include the lack of a national biodiversity plan, the absence of a comprehensive farm audit checklist, limited verification mechanisms for compliance, and challenges associated with farm-level adoption.
To address these challenges, participants at the workshop engaged in strategic discussions focused on enhancing biosecurity practices in the livestock and aquaculture sectors.
Key topics included the protection of animal health, ensuring food safety, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
The workshop highlighted the critical need for robust biosecurity frameworks to safeguard Ghana’s agricultural sectors and protect the well-being of both livestock and consumers.
Recommendations from the workshop included enhancing communication with stakeholders, developing a national biosecurity plan, enacting necessary legislation, and establishing standards to support the biosecurity framework.
Additional suggestions emphasized the importance of advocating government resource allocation toward livestock and aquaculture development, creating a detailed farm audit checklist, conducting regular compliance audits and training, and establishing a feedback mechanism for continuous improvement.
The initiative garnered participation from stakeholders including the Fisheries Commission of Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, local aquaculture producers, and industry experts.
The workshop ended with a renewed commitment by stakeholders to implement best practices that promote the sustainable growth of the country’s agricultural industry.
It was organized by the African Women in Agribusiness (AWIA) and the African Women in Animal Resource Farming and Agribusiness Network (AWARFA-N) with support from the Sustainable Employment through Agribusiness (AgriBiz) Programme, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
AWARFA-N focuses on empowering women in the livestock and aquaculture sector through resources, training, and support, while AWIA is dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs across the agricultural value chain.
The AgriBiz programme, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), will run from April 2021 until December 2025 and is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI).
GNA