Value added Agriculture Expo promises free workshops and live demos

Ghana’s agriculture sector will get a boost in August when the country hosts the Value Added Agriculture Expo and co-locate Value Added Aquaculture Expo West Africa for the first time.

It is scheduled to take place from August 2 to 4, 2018 at the Providence Events and Recreation Centre in Accra.

The Value Added Agriculture Expo West Africa is the sub-region’s biggest exhibition to promote solutions for value-added agriculture and aquaculture and aims at fast-tracking development for farmers and agro-processors in the region.

It will feature three days of in-depth practical training covering everything from crop and horticulture care to livestock care; as well as provide over 70 exhibitors and an opportunity to learn and network.

The ‘live demo’ area will not only demonstrate to farmers and processors the use of equipment, but tractor handling and commercial truck test drives will be available daily at the show.

The ‘live demo’ programme will be led by Agro Positive, BABCO, AFRGI Ghana, CropLife Ghana, Dizengoff, Interplast, Irrigate, LK International, Mac Ghana, Mechanical Lloyd, OCP and RST.

Dr Gyiele Nurah, the Minister of State in charge of Agriculture, has welcomed the Value Added Agriculture Expo and co-located Value Added Aquaculture Expo West Africa for the first time at the Providence Events and Recreation Centre.

He said the Expo would bring out the best in the industry and create a good platform for exchange and networking among industry players, and offer the opportunity to foster business relationships and partnerships.

“The introduction of modern technology had also been acknowledged as a very important factor in doubling agricultural productivity and expected the Value Added Agriculture Expo West Africa to help bring about a lasting turn-around result in the agriculture sector.”

Dr Nurah said the event was in line with President’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s policy to modernise agriculture.

It will help the country’s on-going efforts to boost the sector with the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, which has created 745, 000 jobs and empowered 200,000 farmers with improved seed and farming inputs.

He said in addition to improved farming techniques, economic growth also depended on enhanced value addition, adding, “we must develop value chains that will make all the difference in our earnings for the rich resources of our land,” he said.

Mr Frederick Boampong, Programme Manager of CropLife Ghana said: “CropLife Ghana is excited to partner Reed Exhibitions the Organisers of the Value Added Agriculture Expo, which will enable our members to increase their market share at this premium expo.”

He said CropLife Ghana would also run extensive training workshops on crop nutrition and protection over the three days at the expo for all farmers.

Mr Boampong said CropLife Ghana was affiliated to CropLife Africa Middle East (CLAME) which was a regional association representing leading global manufacturers of crop protection products, seeds and biotechnology products in more than 26 national associations spread throughout Africa and the Middle East.

“It is an association legally independent but maintains strong link with the Global CropLife network.”

He said, with an endorsement by the Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Value Added Agriculture Expo and Value Added Aquaculture Expo West Africa would support the government’s goals of helping the sector move from subsistence to big business.

Ms Adele Eloff, the Africa Manager of Expo International Organisers Reed Exhibitions said: “Everyone from farmers and agricultural associations, through to buyers, distributors and agro-processing businesses will benefit from attending the Value Added Agriculture Expo and Value Added Aquaculture Expo West Africa.”

“The show is brings together all the major players in offering product services and products in the agri- business industry and actively teach farmers, processors and industry stakeholders how to overcome common problems and improve the volume and quality of their outputs,” she added.

Mr Cherrylyn Ruiz, Emarketplace and Operations Manager of Ecommodity said: "As a global business to business (B2B) platform, we are honoured to be one of the sponsors of Value Added Agriculture Expo.

We believe in this event as an opportunity to inspire farmers to grow and produce more crops and see how taking their fruit of labours to global trade would benefit them and the consumers.

The event will be sponsored by Barclays, Interpalst, Kingdom of Netherlands, Mel Consulting, E-commodity Express and AFGRI and Irrigate, in partnership with Reed Exhibitions.