By Philip Tengzu/Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Nov. 18, GNA – The fifth edition of the National Seed Business and Networking Forum dubbed: “SEEDLINK 2024”, has been held to discuss challenges confronting the seed value chain in the country.
The two-day event, which ended in Tamale, was also to strategise on ways to revamp the sector to enhance food security and economic transformation.
It was organised in collaboration with the Feed the Future Ghana Policy LINK Activity, Feed the Future Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity, National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NasTAG), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Fertagro and Mayiya Investments Limited.
It was attended by various stakeholders such as representatives from research and academic institutions, farmer groups, financial institutions, seed companies, private sector players, women including persons living with disabilities amongst others.
It was on the theme: “Unlocking Sustainable Financing Opportunities for Agricultural Resilience and a Robust Seed Value Chain in Ghana”.
It focused on a business-oriented approach that reflected the industry’s growing demand for solutions to key challenges such as limited access to finance, logistical inefficiencies and the fragmented supply chain.
It also sought to align with the country’s broader vision for agricultural transformation as outlined in the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme, the ongoing review of Ghana’s strategic seed plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those targeting food security and economic growth (SDGs 2, 8 and 13).
Dr Amos Rutherford Azinu, President of NasTAG, speaking during the event, said SEEDLINK had evolved into far more than a forum, adding it had become a major platform where policies took shape, partnerships formed, and solutions emerged.
He said “Over the years, SEEDLINK has witnessed remarkable progress in our sector. The Seed Demand Forecasting Tool has revolutionised how we plan for the future; our climate-resilient seed varieties are helping farmers to adapt to changing weather patterns.”
He said the event, therefore, was part of efforts to solicit stakeholders and industry players’ support towards improving and building a vibrant and inclusive sector that would enhance access and affordability of seeds for all farmers.
Dr Azinu rallied the support of all key stakeholders in the seed value chain to ensure quality and accessible seeds at all seasons.
Dr Bryan Acheampong, Minister for Food and Agriculture, whose speech was read on his behalf by Dr Harry Bleppony, a Deputy Director of Crop Services at MoFA, commended NasTAG, Feed the Future Ghana Policy LINK Activity and other partners for their relentless efforts to sustaining the seed value chain, which had payed a major role at improving the country’s food security challenges and the overall economic development of the country.
Dr Shaibu Azumah Baanni, an Agricultural Economist and Lead Consultant at Asdev Consult, who gave an overview of the country’s seed sector, hinted that there was a growing demand for quality seeds for both smallholder and commercial farmers, especially for crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, and cowpea.
He spoke on the opportunities and challenges in accessing investment and financing for the sector and said it faced low-key investment because of the perceived high risks in rural agriculture, which made financing difficult.
Dr Baanni underscored need for more investment in technology to enhance processing, storage, and distribution mechanisms.
Professor Michael Osae, Director of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, who chaired the forum, called for a well coordinated approach to develop a more systematic and robust seed value chain in the country.
GNA
