The African Development Bank is to offer Ghana a one-million-US-dollar grant to conduct feasibility studies into processing its agricultural produce to increase their value and reduce post-harvest losses, estimated at 30 percent.

Clement Bugase, food and agriculture deputy minister, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that by the end of the month, the bank will select one of three consortia of consultants submitted by Ghana to conduct the studies.

"Processing has not received the needed attention in the past, but it is very important in our efforts to achieve food security," he said.

"Processing will reduce post-harvest losses, increase the value and shelf life of our produce, earn us higher incomes and create jobs."

Bugase added: "The present situation is that when we have good rains, especially in the savannah region, harvest is good for major crops like maize and cassava, so their prices fall drastically. However, when weather conditions are bad the next year, harvest is poor, prices escalate and we import."

The studies, he said, would cover the production levels of all agricultural produce, future prospects, local and external market prices, potential for processing and areas where the produce are cultivated.

It would also look at available technology for processing from local and external sources, look at existing processed products, new products and prices, among other issues, and would be completed in six months, he said.

Ghana produces a wide range of crops including cereals, cashew, citrus, cotton, palm oil and rubber.

Bugase said the findings would help farmers, investors and entrepreneurs to take decisions about processing and urged them to utilise the information to their advantage.