Pay more attention to horticulture - FAGE tells government

The Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) is urging the government to pay more attention to the horticulture sector in the country, highlighting its significant role in driving economic growth.

The Federations expresses worry over the inability of stakeholders to thrive, citing a number of challenges faced with regards to limited international exposure, inconsistent supply volumes, competition from neighboring countries and non-compliance with global standards, stating that it pose hurdles for stakeholders.

In an interview with the media on the sidelines of the maiden edition of the Ghana’s Horticulture Expo held in Accra, the president of the FAGE, Davies Korboe, emphasized the sector’s heavy reliance on donor support rather than government backing, which he views unfavorably.

He said, “...the fresh produce, these are perishable goods so in land and we have a lot of the produce going bad, definitely I wouldn’t get all the money to be expecting me to repatriate all the money. We also have a lot of quack buyers. I know some exporters don’t want to export to the Dubai market because they have been facing challenges. For instance some of us fly to the airport everyday, if you see me there it is not because I want to fly but monitor my produce on arrival.

“Again, internally we live in a country where I construct my own road going to my farm, I extend electricity to my farm, which shouldn’t have been so because we pay taxes. Government is creating an enabling environment but really in what sense? Currently as we speak if you ask who is supporting horticulture, it is rather the donors. So government should be looking at such things”.

He however suggested that, “addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from both public and private sectors, focusing on value chain optimization, quality control, and market promotion”.

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority’s (GEPA), Albert Kasim Dewura, the Deputy CEO, HR and Admin of GEPA, highlighted the progress made through the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS), which aims to generate US$25.3 billion by 2029.

Albert Kasim Dewura acknowledged the challenges but emphasized GEPA’s commitment to achieving this goal through strengthened collaboration with stakeholders in the export sector.

“We have embarked on various initiatives that are beginning to yield the needed results. As you may already be aware, the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) is being implemented. The goal of the NEDS is to generate at least US$25.3 billion by the year 2029. Although not an easy feat to achieve, GEPA is poised to do all it takes for this goal to be achieved. It is for this reason that we have been deepening our collaboration with all export sector stakeholders, both public and private.

“The journey towards achieving this goal is one of collaboration and continuous improvement. It requires the collective efforts of government agencies, private enterprises, research institutions, and civil society. Together, we can harness the full potential of Ghana’s horticultural sector, create employment opportunities, empower rural communities, and contribute to national economic development”.

As the statistics suggest, Ghana raked in about $3.94 billion in 2023 in non-traditional exports. This was about an 11% increase over the 2022 record. According to GEPA, it is projected to hit $25 billion by 2028.

With the service sector still dominating in terms of GDP’s contribution to the national economy, the revelation, while impressive, put the agricultural sector at 19.57 percent with about $495.8 million to the national GDP.

Supported by USAID Feed the Future-Ghana Trade and Investment Activity, with over one million cedis, the Ghana Horticulture Expo organized by FAGE ’24 builds upon previous efforts and focuses on showcasing the latest innovations and developments in horticulture within Ghana.

The three day event, scheduled from the 9th July, 2024, at the DOME, Accra International Conference Center, promises to be an exciting opportunity for industry stakeholders, government officials, and representatives from the horticulture sector to come together.

Throughout the Expo, there will be presentations outlining objectives and strategies for promoting horticultural excellence in Ghana. The event also offers ample networking opportunities, facilitating collaborations that can drive further growth and innovation in the industry.

Other partners of the event include, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority’s (GEPA), the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk sharing system for Agriculture Lending (GIRSAL) and the Fidelity Bank of Ghana.

AM/GA