The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) met stakeholders recently in Accra to discuss Ghana’s sanitary and phyto-sanitary export certification system.
USAID/Ghana Acting Mission Director, Steven E. Hendrix and Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Crops) opened the discussions with 25 stakeholders.
Mr. Hendrix noted that “there is a direct link between Ghana’s economic health and the safety of its fresh produce. Ghanaian farmers produce some of the best horticulture products in the world, products that if exported, could bring in millions of dollars to feed families, create jobs and build the country.”
He added that the lack of adherence to standards of food exports has prevented a major inflow of revenue into Ghana.
The U.S. government, through the Trade Africa Expansion Initiative, is committed to working with the Ghanaian government and the people of Ghana to improve its trade regime.
The Improving Food Safety Systems Program (IFSSP) in Ghana is a USAID programme that aims to fortify the plant health and protection compliance system for fruits and vegetables, boost public and private sector collaboration for active growth in exports and encourage greater quality and profitability for key horticultural value chains in Ghana.
A business desk report