Farmers Receive Support

By Emmanuel Kubi
Daily Guide:Sept.8,2010

ABOUT 2,200 rural agro dealers in Ghana have benefited from a 2.5 million dollar credit facility from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC).
The facility is to support agro dealers and 150 seed producers to increase agriculture productivity, incomes and wellbeing of about 850,000 smallholder farmers in Ghana.
Dr Kofi Debrah, Country Representative of IFDC disclosed this in Accra last Tuesday.
He said the project seeks to increase smallholder farmers’ productivity and rural incomes in Ghana by making inputs available and accessible to rural farmers and link them to the market.
Dr Debrah noted that the project would provide credit through credit guarantee programme to agro dealers.
The three-year project, which started in October 2008, is expected to end in the last quarter of 2011.
Interventions by AGRA particularly to link farmers to market would help remove the frustrations farmers go through in selling their produce and boost farmers’ desire to increase productivity to meet the country’s food requirements.
The “Ghana Agro-Dealer Development (GADD)” project would also help increase the availability, accessibility, quality and affordable agro-inputs and seed in rural areas for sustainable agriculture.
Dr Debrah observed that about 30 per cent of farmers on the continent have access to improved seeds for cultivation.

“With the training programmes organised for the association twice a year, we have insight into office management practice and more education on agro-chemicals and its uses”.
AGRA is a partnership working across Africa to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger.
Its programmes are based on developing practical solutions to boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment.
AGRA advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural value chain - from seeds, soil health and water to markets and agricultural education