THE DEVELOPMENT facility of Eco.Business Fund has teamed up with Fidelity Bank Ghana to host a capacity-building workshop focused on economical and sustainable solutions to current challenges within the Ghanaian mango sector.
The workshop welcomed more than 60 stakeholders from across the country’s mango value chain. These included primary producers and processors, exporters and aggregators as well as agricultural stakeholders such as experts of Plant Protection and Regulatory Directorate (PPRD), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (EPA), GIRSAL, GAIP and the National Mango Growers Association.
Through a combination of presentations, interactive panel discussions, group work and knowledge-sharing sessions, participants at the workshop addressed the current challenges facing the industry. They also explored ways to improve the overall sustainability of the entire mango value chain through improved access to finance and markets, as well as capacity building on sustainability certifications such as Global G.A.P. or Fairtrade International.
The two-day workshop was an outcome of the Eco.Business Fund’s partnership with Fidelity Bank Ghana, which primarily aimed to support sustainable practices across several agricultural value chains in Ghana.
Mangoes are commercially the second largest tropical fruit grown in Ghana. Increasing consumer demand both locally and internationally offers significant growth opportunities for the sector and a means to diversify income for local farmers and contribute to their livelihoods.
However, several limitations across the value chain hinder sustainable production and processing. A few of these include limited access to capital, diseases, increasing production costs as well as inefficient production methods, high post-harvest losses of up to 30 per cent, and limited access to export markets due to certification constraints.
Climate variability and weather extremes, such as prolonged dry spells or severe floodings caused by the degradation of forest reserves, pose further threats.
Dr. Jens Mackensen, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Eco.Business Fund, says: “Global uncertainty, climate change and rising food insecurity are three major challenges impacting Ghanaian households. The fund is proud to play an active role in helping equip Ghanaian agri-businesses with the needed skills to navigate and adapt to a rapidly evolving landscape.”
Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Ghana, Julian Opuni, commented: “After a successful summit for the poultry industry, we are excited to have brought together players in the mango value chain to discuss how we can improve the industry’s performance and growth. While the mango value chain can boast of steady production and a considerable number of investments from the private sector, a few challenges, such as low exports from the mango sector, remain. It is against this background that Fidelity Bank, in partnership with Eco.Business Fund, organised this mango value chain summit to address the challenges and proffer solutions that will set Ghana on its path to becoming one of the major exporters in the region.”