IDH convenes key players to revitalize Ghana's horticulture industry
IDH Ghana and the Horticulture Business Platform (HBP), under the auspices of the Ghana Netherlands Business Council and Culture (GNBCC) convened over 250 stakeholders over a period of 4 days for a horticultural stakeholders’ market convening event in Accra and Tamale.
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The event forms part of a national horticultural sector convening partnership for market transformation under the Grains for Growth Program (G4G) Plus.
The G4G Plus programme is an initiative of IDH Ghana in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, The Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, and HBP to transform the grains and the horticultural sector in Ghana through addressing supply chain gaps and fostering collaboration within the sectors.
The two events brought together small-scale local producers, national trade association executives, Market Queens and allied stakeholders, supply chain actors, and government representatives, including the Ministries of Food and Agriculture and Trade and Industry, Ghana Export Promotion Agency (GEPA), Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), and Ghana Green Label.
Private sector participants included Kivo Ghana, Sankofa Spices, and the Ghana Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association.
Collaboration
A key focus was on addressing national supply gaps in the sector, leveraging local partnerships and capacities to bridge local supply gaps in the sector, enhance import substitution and food security.
IDH Ghana Country Director, Robert Asugre, emphasized the need for collaboration among value chain actors to unlock the sector's full potential.
“We all know that there are challenges in this sector, but there are also potentials that we can help create shared value for everyone in the industry.
IDH convened this conference to meet and discuss and come up with powerful solutions that can empower the sector to grow," he noted.
Commitment
The Dutch Agriculture Counsellor at the Netherlands Embassy, Accra, Inge Tenniglo, highlighted the Netherlands' commitment to supporting Ghana's horticulture sector and addressed the need to change the perception of agriculture among youth.
She encouraged stakeholders to work together to enhance the sector's attractiveness and create more opportunities for young people.
"The horticultural value plays a significant role in economic growth, with the sector growing at an average of 10 per cent.
Improved diets are essential, as vegetable consumption in Ghana is about half of the recommended 400g per person per day,” she said.
The Agriculture Lead for the Mastercard Foundation, Daniel Ninson, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the event saying: “the discussions were very insightful and highlighted exactly what the Mastercard Foundation is looking for in identifying opportunities for young people in the sector and focus areas for our programmes.
This is just the beginning of the journey and we look forward to engage and learn more, and see how the Mastercard Foundation can support young people in what they do in the sector which will in turn also advance opportunities for businesses to create livelihoods and ensure food security”.
The event culminated in a joint action plan for producers and the market to develop a sourcing and supply roadmap which would be validated by the stakeholders, piloted and successful models scaled.
IDH will facilitate collaborations and investments in irrigation, access to quality seeds, technology adoption, market structures, and standardization.
The stakeholders also called for increased government focus and support in the horticultural sector to help them meet international standards.
