OCP Africa launches Agri-booster initiative
OCP Africa, a subsidiary of OCP Group-a leading global producer of phosphate and its derivatives has re-launched its ‘Agri-booster Offer’ aimed at contributing to boost the food production in the country and to empower smallholder farmers.
The ‘Agribooster Offer’is an innovative farmer-centered market development model that brings together different stakeholders of the agriculture value chain to provide the best conditions allowing farmers to increase their yield, incomes and livelihood.
The 2019 edition of Agribooster will be implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Upper West, Upper East, Northeast, North, Bono East and Bono regions.
It is aimed at reaching 70,000 small-holder farmers cultivating maize, rice and soy beans.
Speaking at the re-launch at Nasia in the North East Region, Country Manager of OCP Africa Ghana, Samuel Oduro-Asare, said, “OCP Africa introduced this ‘Agribooster Offer’ to support farmers to have access to training of good agricultural practices, finance, markets and high-quality inputs.
“The projected outcome for the 2019 project is to increase farm yield from 20% to 40% of the 70,000 farmers reached. The project is expected to include 30-40% of women as well as 20-30% of young farmers,” he said.
Director of Crops, Mr Seth Osei-Akoto, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, expressed happiness about the OCP Africa programme adding that, “It is aligned with the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs Programme (PFJ) to empower farmers with knowledge and skills to maximise the benefits of the usage of the subsidised planting materials and other inputs.”
According to the Director of Crops, like the Agribooster Offer, the Planting for Food and Jobs Program (PFJ) would also improve the marketability of the increased production of food crops by establishing strong linkage between producers, private aggregators, public food programmes and private food and feed enterprises.
He thanked OCP Africa for a unique initiative and encouraged all farmers to embrace this offer and enhance their knowledge and skills to increase their yield, revenue and improve their well-being.
OCP Africa first launched the Agribooster offer in 2018 reaching ten thousand (10,000) maize and rice farmers in Volta, Northern and Upper West Regions. A 30-40 per cent yield increase has been achieved for this first edition.
By Times Reporter
