Agrihouse Foundation, is set to hold a press launch on Wednesday, September 15, towards the 11th edition of the Annual Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibitions.This year’s Pre-harvest event is on the theme,‘Working Together to Improve Market Channels for Agri-foods Beyond the Pandemic.”
Sponsor organizations include the Agricultural Development bank; YARA GHANA, OCP AFRICA, Ecobank Ghana amd the United Fertilizer Company Limited. Collaborating Institutions arethe Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA),and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC).
The Press Briefing, which will be held at the Resource Centre of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture tomorrow, Wednesday, September 15, 2021 will also give an overview of the Theme, expectations and outcome of the 3-day event
In attendance will be organizing partners, collaborating institutions and sponsors, including YARA Ghana, Agricultural Development Bank, Ecobank, Israeli Embassy and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Also present will be representatives of Farmer Based organizations, buyers, input dealers, tractor and equipment companies, processors and other value chain actors.
Organizers aim to use the launch to highlight activities outlined for the 3-days event, which is expected to take place at the AliuMahama Sports Stadium, Tamale in the Northern Region, from Tuesday, October 19 to Thursday, October 21.
In a release, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, said the (3) days leading Agribusiness market linkage event, will as part of the Training and Capacity session, highlight and address the challenges COVID-19 pandemic has intensified within the agricultural sector; the effects it has posed on marketing Agri-foods, while exploring existing market channels to address these challenges.
The event will also make room, for a farmer-buyer dialogue, where farmers of various commodities, including Maize, rice, milliet, sorghum, soyabeans, cowpea, cashew, shea, etc, meet, negotiate and sign supply deals with buyers.
Another key highlight of the 3-day event will be the Field demonstrations, where farmers and actors get to practically learn, appreciate and adopt best practices in Farm Management. This will take place at the Agrihouse Foundation AGRI-VILLAGE, a Ten (10) acre land, donated by the Bamvim Lana (Chief of Bamvim). It is expected that, Companies leading various Training sessions, will setup mini-demonstration fields for a more engaging practical session.
In the short to long term, the Agrihouse Foundation Agri-village is expected to house different type of farms (including seeds and Livestock Farms), Demonstration Centers, Conference / Workshop halls, Restrooms, Exhibition stores for Agric Companies, Training and Recreational Centers, Storage space, Processing centers, Production room, Laboratories and Research Centers.
“As the Country is opening up, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and from current trends and the on-going registration process, we are positive, a good number of Companies, will sign –up to showcase their products and services. This year’s Pre-Harvest event will not come short in playing its role in facilitating farmers and agro-processors to access opportunities to expand their growth potentials and build new partnerships. We have a strong team with the capacity to ensure that,” Ms. Akosa emphasised.
About Pre-harvest
The Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibitions, is a major interventional event on the Ghanaian agricultural calendar and has over the years, served as a stimulating platform for training, and for creating increased stakeholder linkages, exhibitions and expanded opportunities.
It operates from a facilitative dimension by presenting a highly engaging and coordinated platform that ensures that smallholder farmers are linked to markets, finance, inputs, equipment, and information through larger commercial farmers and traders who have the capacity and incentive to invest in smallholder production. Itis currently the only event within the country’s agricultural space facilitating ready market engagements for farmer and agribusinesses.
Over the past (10) years, Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibitions, hascreated and connected companies that are into fertilizers, seeds, Irrigation, machinery and equipment, Finance, Transportation, ICT, Processors, Packagers, Marketers, Government Institutions, Development Partners, among others.Over 90% of companies and participants have been linked to markets through the Exhibitions, which runs throughout the 3-day event.
The event aims to get the Agribusiness sector to influence transformation, with the heighted focus on public-private Partnerships, investment opportunities and creating an action-driven blueprint for an increasingly sustainable agricultural movement. It also aims to promote dialogue and forge sustainable business partnerships amongst value chain actors especially farmers, buyers, processors, transporters, input and equipment dealers, financial institutions and tele communication companies.
It also serves as a stimulating platform for match-making, exchange, agribusiness development, increased stakeholder linkages and growth in local economies through the creation of expanded agribusiness opportunities.
The event has been of immense benefit to over 100,000 farmers and agribusinesses in the agricultural value chains.It has helped to considerably remove constraints of market access to farmers and agribusinesses, who require access to lucrative markets and economic opportunities to improve their livelihoods and those of their families.
In 2020 (the 10th edition), the event recorded 3,122 participants, and one hundred Twenty-two (122) companies registered and participated in the Exhibitions. Report on the 2019 event showed that over 70 business deals were made during the Exhibition. More than GHS232, 420, 745 of agri products and equipment were sold by exhibiting companies. In 2018, the event won the Agribusiness event of the Year, for helping to promotes business partnerships among value chain actors, especially farmers, buyers, processors, transporters, input dealers, equipment dealers, financial institutions, telecom companies and policy makers.
Started in October 2010 in Tamale by the USAID ADVANCE, the Annual Pre-harvest Agribusiness Conference and Exhibitions was handed to Agrihouse Foundation in 2018, in an effort to scale up the event up and to allow for more public and private sector participation. The handing over was also to allow for further growth, sustainability and expansion.
Since the handing over, Agrihouse Foundation, together with Partners have steadily grown the platform from a day’s event to a 3-day event. The Farmer, private, public and stakeholder participation has also increased significantly over the last 3years, making huge impacts, through linkages, trainings, demonstrations and other capacity building sessions. Through continuous improvement, the event has accelerated the transformation of agribusiness in Northern Ghana, alongside Government’s initiatives.
It has given agro-processors a strong drive to access their raw materials locally, agribusiness development, grown the local economy through the expansion of agribusiness opportunities and has become a platform of growth for agribusiness entrepreneurs. The event will remain one of the leading events in the country, where farmers, businesses, government and ideas meet to network, build capacity, learn and explore business opportunities, sign deals and close contracts.