Building profitable livestock partnerships: Dialogue held ahead of trade tour in Nebraska
Ecosyntra and Ghana–Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations Chamber (GNEBCham), have successfully hosted a pre-spring planting and livestock tour hybrid webinar ahead of the main spring planting and livestock investment tour in Nebraska, USA.
Scheduled for May 17 to 23, 2026, the tour offers Ghanaian livestock leaders, agribusiness stakeholders and policymakers an immersive experience of one of the world’s most advanced livestock production systems.
The virtual and in-person event, held on March 2, brought together over 70 livestock value chain actors, including producers, feed manufacturers, veterinary service providers, processors, policymakers and agribusiness stakeholders from both Ghana and Nebraska.
The webinar was organised to help plan for the upcoming Spring Planting and Livestock Tour, which will give Ghanaian participants the opportunity to see modern livestock systems, large-scale farm operations and real investment opportunities within the U.S. agricultural sector.
During the webinar, participants openly discussed the major challenges facing Ghana’s livestock industry, including high feed costs, limited access to quality breeding stock, processing difficulties, weak cold chain systems and production risks.
The session also helped to identify key focus areas for the Nebraska visit to ensure the tour delivers clear, practical and business-driven results.
Co-Founder of the Ghana–Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations Chamber (GNEBCham), Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, emphasised that the initiative would go beyond a study tour.
“This is about building profitable and sustainable livestock partnerships between Ghana and Nebraska.”
“We are creating a platform for real business transactions, technology transfer and strategic investments that will strengthen Ghana’s livestock sector for the long term,” she said.
Nebraska’s livestock advantage
Former Nebraska State Senator and Co-Chair of GNEBCham, Senator Ken Schilz, shared insights into the growth and global competitiveness of the American livestock industry, particularly Nebraska’s strong position.
He attributed Nebraska’s success to strategic investment in animal genetics, proper breed selection and consistent performance testing.
“Animal genetics is the foundation of performance. We focus on breed selection that matches climate and market needs. Crossbreeding and artificial insemination help improve quality and productivity,” he noted.
Technology and AI transforming agric
An Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Nebraska AI, Jess Goldoni, highlighted the growing role in modern farming.
She explained how AI was being deployed in livestock monitoring, farm data management, predictive analytics, and market forecasting.
According to her, Ghanaian agribusiness operators were well-positioned to leverage emerging technologies.
The Director of the Animal Production Directorate at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Jonas Asare Berchie, underscored the importance of improving livestock performance and expanding market access in Ghana.
“Our focus is to ensure strong performance and better market access for Ghanaian livestock.”
“Preventive vaccination, disease control, and effective biosecurity systems are critical,” he stated.
He noted that collaboration with Nebraska could significantly enhance Ghana’s breeding systems, animal health management and overall livestock productivity.
The Chairman of the North East Region Livestock Farmers Association, Benjamin Awuni Asatanga, described the initiative as timely and transformative for livestock farmers.
“This is a good venture for us to approach livestock production in a more serious and structured way. It offers practical opportunities to improve through partnerships and learning,” he said.
