The Chief of Party at the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) Ghana Poultry Project (GPP), Carianne De Boer has called on all players in the agriculture sector to work together in building a strong positive regulatory environment that will step up private investment and access to finance in agriculture.

Speaking at the opening of the Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries, Training & Trade Show (LiPF) in Accra, last week, Madam De Boer said, “There is no better time to take advantage of opportunities presented by the rapid economic changes occurring around the globe including on the agribusiness landscape.”

It is expected that Africa’s agricultural productivity is expected to contract between 3-7 percent, a decline that can have broad and deep impacts on the continent‘s economies.

Madam De Boer said, “it’s only natural that all of us in Ghana – government, civil society, and individuals work together – purposefully and decisively to realize a shared vision for agricultural development – one of resiliency sustainability and prosperity,”

“In working together, we must also ensure that we build a strong positive regulatory environment that will step up private investment and access to finance in agriculture. There is no better time to take advantage of opportunities presented by the rapid economic changes occurring around the globe including on the agribusiness landscape,” she added.

Madam De Boer said, “Let us build partnerships that will accelerate self-sufficiency in food production for Ghana and strengthen the local market systems in order to boast resiliency in these uncertain times. The time to step up is now.”

In view of this, Ms. Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, the Executive Director of the event’s organizers, Agrihouse Foundation said, “We believe this event [LiPF] will supplement government’s effort and contribute immensely to creating a unique platform where livestock, poultry and fisheries farmers can share experiences and have their common concerns addressed.

“This platform we believe will ultimately help to bridge the gap that currently exists between the livestock and crop sectors and fisheries and aquaculture and position Ghana for greater productivity,” She added.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report Livestock production alone contributes about 40 percent of the global value of agricultural output and support the livelihoods and food and nutrition security of almost 1.3billion people in the world.

The report further states that in Ghana, the livestock sector contributes an average of seven percent to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country making it a crucial cogwheel for the economy.