FAGRO to storm Kumasi for the first time

The 6th National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO) will take place in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, for the first time, instead of the Greater Accra region as had been the practice since its inception.

General Manager of FAGRO, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, said in a statement, copied to the Ghana News Agency over the weekend that, her outfit was very much excited to move the event to Kumasi, after holding it in Accra consistently for five years.

She said: “There have been a lot of request by our stakeholders to move it to another region and we are excited to finally move to Kumasi, the Trade hub of Ghana with a lot of agric stakeholders.

“Our traditional partners are excited to move from Accra and its environs to explore different opportunities in Kumasi as well.”

This year’s event, which is on the theme: “Reducing risk through sustainable agricultural growth and development,” will be held from Wednesday, November 5 to Friday, November 7, at the Prempeh Assembly Hall.

The show creates a platform for companies to present and exhibit appropriate emerging technologies that are helping shape agriculture, open doors for stakeholders to learn how appropriate those technologies have been designed for the Ghanaian market.

Ms Akosa observed that majority of farmers’ productivity are low, due to inappropriate technology, inappropriate farm management, lack of finance and insurance policies.

She said progress made with the introduction of schemes and technologies is far advancing with new insurance, financing schemes and the introduction of appropriate Technologies, greenhousing, irrigation and turnkey projects.

“We shall also focus on these schemes and Insurance packages designed for farmers, its relevance and how they can aid in reducing risk,” she added.

Ms Akosa said the show would also target and project agriculture business systems, the structures in place, farmers, farm management, the business side of agriculture, agri-businesses, companies and entrepreneurs, and that, Governments increasingly recognize that, the reduction of risks is a foundation for a successful sustainable development.

The 2014 event is expected to witness a general exhibition of local and international agricultural companies in manufacturing, poultry and poultry equipment, seeds and seedlings, aqua culture, feeding equipment, packaging and processing technology, Irrigation systems and financial institutions, among others.

Event organisers say there would be food competition and Seminars while another strategic add-on to FAGRO this year is a field demonstration on rice growing systems, irrigation and greenhouse technology.

“With our annual partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, it is worthy to note that, all the directorates under the ministry of agriculture will be fully represented at the fair grounds to showcase their works, opportunities and contributions to the nation,” said Ms Akosa.

She said visitors to the fair have created personal contacts over the years and therefore the public is being encouraged to visit this year’s fair grounds to network and explore business opportunities with various local and international agriculture partners.

For the past five years, FAGRO has created an exhibition, networking and marketing platform for over 150 companies into manufacturing, agro-equipment, agri-input, wholesalers, farming associations, packaging, food services, financial institutions, fisheries among others.

It has shaped businesses and provided capacity building to many young farmers and entrepreneurs through seminars, workshops field demonstrations and attracted over 1000 farmers, who have established contacts with both Local and International exhibitors, particularly from Brazil, Israel, Italy, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

FAGRO has over the years brought over 1,000 exhibitors, government officials, the international community, civil society, market women, students and various local international actors in the agric sector.