By Gideon D. Ebbah, GNA
Effiduase (Ash), Oct. 29, GNA - The Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, has provided about GH¢52,000.00 to support the Asante Effiduase Kroye Farmers’ Cooperative Union in the Sekyere East District, in agro-processing.
The goal is to help boost the capacities of the farmers from across the District in alternative livelihood development and value addition programmes to help boost their capacities in agro- processing and address post-harvest losses and enable the farmers have good returns on their incomes.
It is part of a collaborative agreement with the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA), under which KITA would provide consultancy services by giving training to the farmers within the Union in the next three months.
Mr. Philip Anning Berko, the BUSAC Fund Monitor, who gave the hint at the second ordinary meeting of the Union, at Effiduase, said the farmers, would receive training in specific areas such as gari processing, soap and yoghurt making and bee- keeping, among other things.
He said the support, which was targeted at attaining almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also sought to enhance the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers, whiles contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture and its value chain.
The BUSAC Fund supported by DANIDA (lead Development Partner), USAID and the EU, is a programme set-up to strengthen the advocacy, capacity building of private sector organizations such as business associations, farmer-based organizations, trade unions and other associations within the labour market in Ghana.
It is also focused on an improved business environment through enhanced advocacy of private sector organizations and creation of platforms for private-public dialogue.
Mr. Samuel Owusu Takyi, the Executive Director of KITA, also speaking at the meeting, said the training would be in the form of an expansive scheme in which 20 of the cooperative members would receive initial training after, which each them would also in a trainer of trainers’ chain, train eight farmers, until all the Union members have been trained.
“The capacity building training for the smallholder farmers who are predominantly in cocoa production, cassava, maize, fruits and vegetables farming is to help boost the capacities and incomes as well as optimize the production levels of the farmers who form majority in the country’s agricultural industry,” he added.
However, he said, these were seriously challenged with illiteracy, poverty, financial access, low capitals, lack of technology and technical know-how and the likes, which really hindered productivity, value addition and agribusiness in the country and the competitive global market.
Mr. Clement Duku, Chairman of the Farmers’ Co-operative Union, thanked BUSAC Fund and KITA for their timely support and urged the government, NGOs and developmental partners to also support them in accessing the various inputs such as fertilizers, herbicides, land, labour and cash.
GNA
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