Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana in a consultative stakeholder meeting in Tamale
The Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana has held a one-day consultative stakeholder meeting in Tamale, the Northern region.
The consultative stakeholder meeting is to engage farmers and input dealers on how the latter can supply inputs such as fertilizers to the former in a sustainable manner.
The association also used the one-day forum to sensitize actors on their 2023 action plan and to hold consultations with smallholder farmers, processors, and feed millers to address issues raised at the recent press conference in Tamale on low prices of soya beans.
The Executive Secretary of Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana, Yaw Afrifa, indicated that smallholder farmers have had challenges in accessing quality soya seed due to financial challenges and for that matter Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana with support from its certified seed growers and input dealers, smallholder farmers are guaranteed of reliable and sustainable supply of seed and fertilizers.
According to him, the association works with lead farmers and input dealers to provide some credit facilities to smallholders to enable them to cultivate larger acreages.
“Despite the government of Ghana’s intervention with the supply of subsidized fertilizers, timely access to this critical input remains a major challenge in the crop production process for the smallholder farmers. With the support of our partners at GIZ Ghana, AgriBusiness office, the SVCA is met with stakeholders in Tamale to explain to them efforts underway to provide a long-lasting solution to these challenges and concerns within the soya value chain.”
Mr. Afrifa stressed that in spite of the massive gains over the years, the operations of the Soya Value Chain in Ghana have come under threats from invasion by foreigners who are flooding the market.
“The foreigners buy soyabeans directly from the farm gates which results in prices hikes of the produce. It is also to check this threat regarding the production of quality seeds and supply of farm inputs that the Association convened the Tamale meeting.”
He, therefore, disclosed that the Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana has resolved that
government should expedite action on the development of the National Strategy plan that will serve as the blue-print for government and all stakeholders in the value chain, As a matter of urgency to reconstruct the committee which controls the new “Restrictions on Exportations of Grains Regulations 2022,” backed by LI 2467 to give access and control of the committee to actors for useful benefits to the LI, and Direct the Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Food and Agriculture to increase consultations with value chain actors, on issue of soyabean.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale