OCP Ghana trains 200 Agric extention agents, farmer aggregators

Within the framework of the partnership agreement between OCP Africa and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in September 2019 and as part of the agri booster program, OCP Africa has organized a 4-day training programme for 200 Agricultural Extension Agents (AEA’s) from MoFA and some Aggregators in the Bono East, Upper East, Upper West, North East, Ashanti, Oti and Eastern Regions.

The training was aimed at building capacities of the AEAs in line with OCP Africa’s 2020 Agribooster Campaign. The training provided participants with knowledge, tools and skills on farmer dynamics, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), farming as a business (Business skills), post-harvest operations, and marketing of harvested crops among others.

Commenting on the training programme, Mr. Samuel Oduro, Country Manager of OCP Africa Ghana, said: “aside the provision of farm inputs in the agri booster program, we at OCP Africa believe the success of the program partly depends on building the knowledge base Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs), who will transfer the knowledge gained to small-holder farmers.”

He added that OCPs women in agri booster program have also supported about 5000 women small-holder farmers cultivating maize and rice with 1,250 metric tons of improved fertilizers, land preparation services and agricultural transformation equipment, with expected yield of 5000 metric tons.

Ashanti Regional Director at MoFA, Rev John Manu said, “The dynamism in the agricultural landscape and the impact of COVID-19 on agriculture makes this training programme very vital for Extension Agents and farmer Aggregators in the country.”

Our partnership with OCP Africa has been very fruitful and beneficial and I believe the agricultural industry, especially small-holder farmers will be positively impacted in the midst of COVID-19, he added.

The 2019 Agribooster Campaign trained 87 extension officers, 400 lead farmers and 42,605 smallholder farmers on Good Agricultural Practices. Additionally, 3,700 metric tonnes of NPK fertilizers were supplied to 14,800 smallholder farmers, cultivating a total of 37,000 acres.

Their yields increased from 1.8 metric tonnes per hectare to 2.6 metric tonnes per hectare, representing an increase of 44%.