Accra, July 3, GNA - A 15-member national planning committee to oversee the successful implementation of the Agriculture Fair (AGRIFA 2011) has been inaugurated in Accra.

The committee, which is chaired by Philip Abayori, President of National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana, has other members drawn from the Ministries of Agriculture, Trade and Industry and Tourism, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Ghana Export Promotion Council, Association of Ghana Industries, and Fisheries Commission. The rest are Ghana Trade Fair Company, Ghana Standards Board, Ghana Tourism Federation, Food and Drugs Board and some key media houses in Ghana. AGRIFA is an initiative designed by the Agricultural Trade and Investment Promotion Centre, aimed at promoting and marketing local agricultural produce in both the domestic and international markets. It will be held annually and will basically seek to bring together agricultural producers, service providers, manufacturers and other stakeholders under one umbrella to share ideas, showcase agricultural produce and also project local foods and learn improved modern and innovative methods of production. The maiden event is expected to be held between October 14 and 22 in Accra on the theme: 93Promoting Local Agricultural Produce: Key to Ghana's socio Economic Development," with 50,000 participants both local and international.

A statement issued by the Secretariat of Agricultural Trade and Investment Promotion Centre and signed by the Director of Marketing and Promotion, Jerry Djasungo, said: 93AGRIFA 2011 will provide an excellent opportunity to connect with the farming communities and build up relationships with new clients based on trust and understanding and to consolidate existing ones." AGRIFA is geared towards promoting, packaging, employment generation, poverty reduction, and a market oriented drive. It also to utilise appropriate technology to boost food production, the statement added.

AGRIFA 2011, according to the statement, will also provide the platform for conferences and seminars to highlight specific key areas of the agricultural sectors. Notable among them are the Farmers' Fora and launch of the farmers fund, Agricultural Finance & Insurance Seminar and Agricultural mechanization & irrigation Seminar.

AGRIFA 2011 intends to bring on board stakeholders from various institutions such as policy makers, dealers in agricultural machinery & irrigation equipment, agricultural producers and fishermen, farmer base organizations (FBO's), buyers of agro 96 produce, financial institutions, exporters, investors, donors, leasing companies , ingredient suppliers, research institutions, dealers in post harvest equipment, Agricultural Faculties (Universities), restaurants owners', dealers in processing & storage equipment and the like.