The National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG) is developing pragmatic strategies to meet the country’s seed demand.
Mr Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, President of the Association, who announced this, said the leadership was also working to ensure that seed trading became a vibrant and lucrative business.
Speaking at an annual general meeting of the Association at Fumesua in the Ejisu Municipality, he said it was important for the industry players to forge stronger collaboration with other stakeholders to support the country’s agricultural production.
Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the quality seed was important in crop production and there was the need for practitioners in the seed crop sector to supply quality seeds that would help increase crop yield.
He encouraged seed growers to produce quality seeds, which could compete on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) market, the biggest market space for seeds.
Mr Adu-Gyamfi mentioned insufficient seed breeders to come out with quality varieties needed by growers to produce, as a big challenge to the industry.
He stressed the need for hands-on practical training in seed breeding to enable more people to venture into that area to help farmers.
The meeting coincided with the election of new executive members for the association.
They were Mr Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, President, Alhaji Abdulai Antiku, Vice President and Mr Adrew Nii Adjetey Treasurer.
Mr James Frimpong was elected Southern Sector Representative, Northern Sector Representative went to Mr David Konlan while Mr Francis Asempah was elected as the Middle Sector Representative.
Mr Adu-Gyamfi pledged to work together with the Association’s secretariat and all seed value chain players to grow agricultural production in Ghana and beyond.