Ministry endorses 1st Value Added Agriculture Expo West Africa

Ghana’s agriculture, aquaculture and agro-processing sectors will benefit from the first comprehensive Value-Added Agriculture Expo to be staged in Ghana, when Reed Exhibitions brings the event to Accra in August, 2018.

The Value-Added Agriculture Expo West Africa will be West Africa’s largest exhibition promoting ‘farm to fork’ solutions in value added agriculture and aquaculture. To be held at the Providence Events and Recreation Centre from 2-4 August 2018, the Value-Added Agriculture Expo West Africa and co-located Value-Added Aquaculture Expo West Africa are supported and endorsed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

“Agriculture is one of the West African region’s most important sectors, with food sustainability of key importance to the country,” says Carol Weaving, Managing Director Reed Exhibitions. “Value Added Agriculture supports food sustainability and increases export opportunities and profits, which is crucial for both food security and economic development,” she says.

“This event will cover the full value chain in agric business, showcasing input, livestock care solutions to farmers and agro-processing best practices to increase the production ratio of outputs to input. The show brings together all the major players offering products and services to the industry.”

In addition to showcasing the latest solutions, the show will also offer a Live Demo Area and formal training workshops, so farmers will have an opportunity to learn new practical & business skills. Farmers will discover new techniques for tractor-handling, planting, soil-testing, irrigation, crop protection and livestock care.

Technical & business management workshops for Agro-Processors will assist the industry to improve production by using the latest equipment, technology and services.

Bringing the event to Ghana are Diamond Sponsor Barclays; Platinum Sponsors Kingdom of Netherlands, Mel Consulting; and Gold Sponsors Interplast and Ecommodity Express, in partnership with Reed Exhibitions.

“Barclays Bank has between January 2015 and 2018 financed US$59.35m worth of deals in the Maize, Rice & Soy Value Chains alone, and will continue to support the agribusiness value chain as we rebrand to ABSA,” says Patience Akyianu, Managing Director of Barclays Bank Ghana.

Ron Strikker Ambassador of The Netherlands says: “The government of Ghana accords high priority to making agriculture a top sector in Ghana. Initiatives like the Planting for Food and Jobs Campaign, the prominent position of agriculture in the 2018 budget, and the upcoming Marshall Plan for the sector are proof of this. These efforts are also part of the larger Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda, which shows vision and ambition.

The Netherlands strongly supports this,” he says. “As one of the world’s leaders in agriculture, we have a lot to offer: knowledge, technology and innovation. Trade in food and related products is substantial, and on the rise – as are investments. But much more can still be done and we look forward to supporting Ghana’s growth.

“The fact that this event focusses on the full agricultural value chain helps to bring the needed transformation of Ghana’s agriculture to a modern and dynamic base of the economy, making it attractive for entrepreneurs and investors and providing jobs for its teeming youth.

“I wish the organisers of the fair success with this event, and I am sure it will attract a lot of visitors.

“Interplast is proud to be part of the Value-Added Agriculture expo. It is our aim to provide farmers with affordable and easy access to irrigation products and services in Ghana and West Africa,” says Elizabeth Owusu-Gyebi of Interplast.

“Fertile soil sustains crop production and life is maintained. ‘Our Land is Where Life Begins’, this is our tagline. We at OCP Ghana believe strongly that getting the production right from the start guarantees higher yields in the end. Hence, our focus is to get farmers to know their soil status and apply the right fertilisers. We will hence highlight this at the expo.”