Ghana’s Seed Sector Looks Promising

Dr. Joe Devries, Vice President Program Development & Innovation at AGRA

Accra, Ghana, November 29, 2018//-Participants at the fourth 10K Seed Convening in Accra have observed that despite the challenges of the sector including inadequate seed breeders, Ghana’s seed sector looks promising.

According to them, with the right policy and regulatory framework, nothing could stop the country from achieving its seed sector’s growth potential.

Speaking to journalists after opening of the three-day conference, Dr. Joe Devries, Vice President Program Development & Innovation at AGRA, noted that the Ghanaian government is doing a fantastic job to enhance access to hybrid seeds and other high yielding seeds to enable the country to become self-reliance in food production.

So, AGRA is happy to partnering with Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA in this job. That is why we brought the 10k seed club to Ghana to learn how it is happening here and give them encouraging word or two”.

He continued: “Because of these companies have moved on, some of them are producing over 10,000 metric tonnes per year that is a big operation”.

“I know that they will be having a lot of chats here and there and how did it, and how the Ghanaian seed companies can do it, and also how government authorities can assist the sector progress in the country”, Dr Devries told the journalists.

When asked are you considering putting our local farmers together, he answered in the affirmative, saying: “That work is going on. We have linked up with many Ghanaian NGOs who are working with famer groups”.

Speaking during the ‘10K Seed Club’ convening, a Deputy Minister of Ghana’s Food and Agriculture, Osei Nyarko who read a behalf for the sector minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto noted: “Ghana’s seed sector has gone undergone some significant changes in the past few years, including the establishment of the National Seed Council, and the emergence of a more diversified commercial seed sector”.

There are a number of recent developments that may have a considerable influence on Ghana’s ability to provide quality seed in commercial quantity for its major food crops.

These Dr Akoto mentioned include the enactment of new seed law, the development of regulations for implementing the law, the new national agric policy, the activities of domestic and foreign seed companies and donors interests.

By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report

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