NAFCO CEO Advocates Improved Synergies to Address Challenges in Agric Sector

CEO of NAFCO, Hanan Abdul-Wahab (holding mic) addressing the forum

Accra, Ghana//-Chief Executive Officer of National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab is advocating a strengthened linkage between players in the agriculture sector to collectively address challenges that confronts the sector.

Addressing a stakeholder’s forum on agriculture in Accra on Monday, Mr. Abdul-Wahab said even though various state agencies and private sector actors are playing critical role on different aspects of the agriculture, there was the need for what he described as a “concerted and deliberately coordinated synergies for formidable solutions.

The event was organized by The Ghanaian Farmer, in collaboration with The Multimedia Group, was on the theme: ‘The Role of Stakeholders in Solving Agricultural Development Challenges along the Value Chain”.

The forum brought together key stakeholders in the agriculture value chain including investors, processors, businessmen, promoters as well as policymakers to discuss food security while providing solutions to challenges in the industry.

Speakers at the first-ever Ghanaian Farmer Conference included representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana Exchange Commodities, Peasant Farmers Association among others.

According to him, Ghana, like many other African countries, is faced with inadequate finances, climate change, poor pricing and marketing incentives, inadequate agricultural extension agents, pest, diseases, and a lack of access to fertilizers are all contributing to the declining fortunes of the sector.

Other challenges faced by the agricultural sector in Ghana are poor infrastructure, including lack of attention to irrigation development, high transport costs, poor roads to farms, land acquisition, land tenure issues and social and environmental problems.

“Since independence however, various governments have had interventions to expand and grow agriculture. The business-as-usual approach has not helped us and that is why we must work together, much closer, to collectively resolve the issues”, he told the forum.

He said NAFCO would continue to support the country’s agriculture transformation drive by helping to ensure stability in the demand and supply for locally grown food by being a reliable off-taker.

African Eye Report

 

 

 

 

 

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