Oct 26, 2026
The Accelerating Change Through Innovation in Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE) Project being funded by the Mastercard
Foundation is offering an alternative livelihood empowerment training for 350 vulnerable young people in the Sunyani West Municipality.
The Foundation with support from the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is funding the project implementation, with Mimshack Cooperative Cashew Farmers and Marketing Society Limited (Mimshack CFMS Ltd), a farmer-based organization serving as a key institutional
contractor and training service provider.
Between the ages of 15 to 35 years, the beneficiaries, mostly young females, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), internally displaced persons and refugees.
Personnel of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other experts are taking them through grasscutter and rabbit rearing, snail and mushroom
production and beekeeping. The beneficiaries were picked from Sereso, Wabrase, Tumamiayanko, Aprakukrom, Boffourkrom, Koase, Nkawdom and Morokrom in the Municipality of the Bono Region for the training and to better their socio-economic livelihoods.
Speaking at an induction ceremony for the beneficiaries, held at Koase, a farming community in the Municipality, Mr Amos Kwasi Bintir, the
Executive Director of the Mimshack CFMS Ltd mentioned that the cooperative is mandated to train the learners in two major trade areas of cashew agro processing and financial literacy agribusiness skills. He said on completion the beneficiaries would be provided with start-up tools for each trade area to set their own businesses and constructed cashew agro processing shed for each center.
Mr Bintir explained that the ACTIVATE Project focused on creating opportunities in the agricultural sector for vulnerable people.
He said the training would provide job-ready skills that meet real-world demands, saying that the project aimed at empowering the beneficiaries
with industry-recognized competencies, enhancing their employability and contributing to economic growth in the agricultural sector and beyond.
The project is an 18-month contractual agreement from October 2026 to December 2027, saying that Mimshack would play a pivotal role in
delivering decentralized, community-based competency training and transition-to-work support for 2,000 young beneficiaries in 2026.
Dr John Ayisi, a retired agriculturist and the lead facilitator, lauded the project, saying its implementation would provide ready job opportunities for the members of the project implementing communities.
He advised the beneficiaries to take the training seriously, urging them to be time conscious and disciplined. Mr Cletus Darko, the Assembly Member for the Koase Electoral Area, commended the cooperative and its partners for the opportunity and expressed the hope that the project implementation would benefit more of the vulnerable young people in the area.
Mr Dognekoh Atta Kwasi Snr, the Presiding Member of the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly equally represented Mr Asante Boateng, the Sunyani West Municipal Chief Executive and Mrs Millicent Yeboah Amankwaa, the Member of Parliament (MP) of Parliament for Sunyani West
Constituency.
He noted that the project implementation aligned with the government’s efforts towards job creation and poverty reduction.
Mr Dognekor affirmed the assembly commitment to support the project for the local communities to derive the optimum benefits and commended the cooperative and its partners.
Portia Abawono, 18 years and one of the beneficiaries selected from Morokorm told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that she was highly excited about the opportunity created for her to learn grasscutter rearing. She called on the project implementers to extend it to benefit more of the young girls in the area.
Another beneficiary, Abdulai Seidu, 25 years, also from Morokrom also expressed his appreciation to the Cooperative, saying that the grasscutter rearing would empower him to support his upkeep and that of his family.
Oct 22, 2026
Agricultural analyst Dr Joseph Opoku Gakpo has urged the government to prioritise agricultural extension services, saying stronger support for extension personnel is essential to helping farmers adopt innovations and improving food security in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview to mark World Food Day on October 16, Dr Gakpo said investment in agricultural research would have limited impact if farmers did not receive clear communication about innovations and could not translate them into practical solutions.
This year’s World Food Day theme, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow,” highlighted the role of science and innovation in building sustainable food systems and ensuring food security for future generations.
World Food Day is observed annually to commemorate the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1945.
The occasion raises awareness of hunger and malnutrition and promotes efforts to build sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
“If we want to boost innovations in our food systems, we must invest adequately in agricultural extension personnel and the systems that support their work.
“Without effective extension services, innovations developed at universities and research institutions may never reach the farmers who need them, limiting the benefits of investments in agricultural research,” Dr Gakpo said.
He stressed that extension personnel need technical knowledge of crop and livestock production, soil health, pest management, post-harvest management and marketing, and other sustainable farming practices.
But they must also possess strong communication and other soft skills to explain scientific concepts clearly and build trusting relationships with farmers.
“Communicating scientific information effectively is important. And so is building trust. Whether we are introducing regenerative farming practices, genetically modified organisms, or improved post-harvest management techniques, farmers need to understand the technologies and trust the people introducing them. Without that trust, adoption can be difficult,” he said.
Dr Gakpo cited research he co-authored with Dr Katherine McKee, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University, USA, which identified trust as an important determinant of technology acceptance, to back his point.
The study, titled “How Do Scientists Promoting Genetically Modified Seeds in Africa Build Trust? The Experience of Ghanaian Farmers,” was published in the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education.
The study, which interviewed farmers in Ghana’s three northern regions, recommended that institutions “seeking to introduce farmers to new technologies use intermediaries the farmers trust… communicate effectively, encourage peer validation, and build collaborative relationships.”
Call for greater investment in extension services
Agricultural extension services bridge the gap between research and farming practice by providing farmers with information, training, technical advice and access to innovations.
In Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), through its Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services and regional and district structures, plays a central role in coordinating these activities.
Dr Gakpo called for deliberate and sustained investment in the country’s extension system, arguing that inadequate staffing limits the support available to farmers.
“Ghana has approximately one agricultural extension officer for every 1,700 farmers, compared with the FAO’s recommended ratio of about one officer to about 500 farmers.
Although the appropriate ratio may vary depending on the context, the gap highlights the need for more extension personnel and better working conditions for them,” he said.
“Investing in these systems can help ensure that agricultural innovations translate into improved production, better market access and stronger livelihoods,” he added.
Dr Gakpo also described the proposed Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Bill currently being championed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture as an opportunity to strengthen the delivery and regulation of extension services in Ghana.
The government said the bill aims to modernise extension service delivery and establish a clear legal and regulatory framework for agricultural extension and advisory services nationwide.
According to Dr Gakpo, provisions for professional oversight and regulating service providers could improve the quality and accountability of extension services.
“The proposed bill includes measures to establish a National Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Council to regulate extension professionals and oversee standards and training.
“It also proposes a regulatory unit to monitor and evaluate organisations providing extension and advisory services. These measures could strengthen professionalism and service quality, ensuring that farmers receive more effective support,” he said.
Final word on World Food Day
Dr Gakpo said World Food Day should remind us to ensure everyone in Ghana has access to sufficient, nutritious food. Citing figures from the Ghana Statistical Service, he said a significant proportion of the population still faces food insecurity despite progress in the agricultural sector.
“Available figures indicate that about 10 per cent of Ghana’s population remains food insecure. My hope is that, by the time we mark World Food Day next year, that figure will have declined considerably,” he said.
He called for strengthening food systems beyond the focus on increasing production. “Food security is not just about how much food we produce.
“We must also ensure that food is available, accessible and affordable to everyone. Food is a basic human right, and everyone deserves the opportunity to access it,” Dr Gakpo said.
Source:https://www.myjoyonline.com
Oct 21, 2026
Zonda Tec Ghana has launched Ghana-assembled HOWO light-duty trucks for farmers and traders, a month after President John Mahama moved to tie assemblers’ tax breaks to local production.
The HOWO T3M range comes in four variants, with payloads from 2.7 tonnes to 12 tonnes, in open-bucket or cargo bodies. The Business and Financial Times (B&FT) reported that it was unveiled at an event in Dzorwulu, Accra. The company is aiming the trucks at farmers, produce aggregators, wholesalers, retailers and logistics firms, which move food from farm gate to market.
The stakes for agriculture are measurable, but only partly about transport. The African Postharvest Losses Information System (APHLIS) estimates that Ghana loses about 18 percent of its maize after harvest. In 2021 that came to 276,568 tonnes, worth more than $134 million, or about GH¢1.56 billion at the Bank of Ghana interbank rate of GH¢11.66 to the dollar on 16 October. The same data shows that most of that loss happens during harvesting and field drying, before any truck is loaded.
Zonda Tec Chief Executive Officer Yang Yang told the launch that all four payload classes were assembled in Ghana. Engineers from Chinese manufacturer Sinotruk are training local technicians. “We need to shift from trading to engineering,” she said, and she urged the government to back the auto engineering industry.
Ruby Palm, a deputy director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, spoke on behalf of the minister. She said higher farm output must be matched by aggregation, storage, processing and distribution, according to B&FT. She asked Zonda Tec and its partners to focus on affordability, financing, spare parts and after-sales service.
That message matches the policy direction set at the company’s Tema plant on 15 September. Commissioning the plant’s third phase, Mahama announced plans for a minimum local-assembly threshold that manufacturers must meet to qualify for value added tax exemptions. He said assemblers would also be expected to source more parts locally, including batteries, tyres, wiring harnesses, seats and glass, and that details would come in the national budget. The plant employs more than 800 Ghanaians, the Ghana News Agency reported.
Sinotruk’s Chief Representative in Ghana, identified only as Mr Lu, told the launch that the company began assembling heavy-duty trucks in Ghana in 2019. It expanded capacity in 2023 and has since extended its facilities to cover light-duty models. The 2023 expansion raised the plant’s annual capacity from 850 trucks to about 3,000.
The T3M runs on a 2.98-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine producing up to 120 horsepower and 340 newton-metres of torque, with a six-speed manual gearbox. It has a 120-litre fuel tank, air conditioning, compressed-air brakes and an exhaust brake, according to specifications published by B&FT. The company said specifications may vary by configuration.
Cost remains the open question for smallholders, and reports of the launch carried no prices. At the September commissioning, Mahama proposed a salary-deduction payment plan to help workers buy locally assembled vehicles.
Source:https://newsghana.com.gh
Oct 20, 2026
The Conference of Heads of Second Cycle Schools (CHASS) says it is deeply concerned about the rising reported cases of indiscipline among students and staff in senior high schools (SHSs).
It strongly condemned such acts and “assure parents and stakeholders of our firm and continuous commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all students.”
“We will support any appropriate sanctions meted out to any staff if found culpable, while insisting on a fair and unbiased process,” CHASS said in a communique issued at the end of its 64th Annual National Conference in the Volta Region.
It was on the theme: “Student Discipline in a Challenging World: Context, Challenges and a Constructive Way Forward.”
The communique was signed by the President of CHASS, Rev. Fr Stephen Owusu Sekyere and General Secretary Primus Baro.
Delays in release of funds
It said the primary challenge confronting CHASS was the long delays in the release of insufficient funds, in spite of the establishment of a dedicated source of funding for free SHS, which was strongly advocated by CHASS.
“We would no longer accept excuses and explanations of data discrepancies that led to the bitter experience in the 2025/26 academic year where first-year funds were withheld for the whole year.
We look forward to the full payment of all arrears, including the legacy arrears of recurrent grant spanning 2021 to 2024 to enable schools to clear their longstanding indebtedness to benevolent creditors,” it said.
On emergency procurement, it said heads were officially authorised by the Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to urgently procure food items to feed students in November/December 2025.
Unfortunately, it said the money was yet to be released to pay the suppliers, some of whom were chasing innocent heads for their money.
“We request that this be settled without any further delays to relieve heads of this overwhelming burden,” it said.
Upward adjustment of perishable feeding grant
The communique said the current rate of GH ¢2.85 per student per day for perishable items no longer reflected market realities.
The same challenge, it said, applied to all items under the recurrent grant.
“We strongly appeal to the Government to upwardly adjust these allocations to align with current economic conditions and to ensure that students are fed with nutritious meals,” it said.
Regarding waiver of VAT on school procurement, it said it was worrying to note that procurement of perishable food items and other basic academic resources attracted 20% VAT, as insisted by auditors.
“We appeal to government to urgently waive such tax since its incidence is burdening the already woefully inadequate funds”.
The heads requested clarity on government policy of decentralised procurement of 40 per cent of essential food items at the school level, as originally proposed, in order to feed students effectively and to impact the local economy.
Restoration of PTAs
The heads said it had been a year since the government announced the restoration of parent-teacher associations (PTAs) in schools. Unfortunately, it said some legal controversies were affecting the effective operationalisation, even when parents were prepared to support schools to create a congenial atmosphere for their wards.
It said the longer that impasse is prolonged, the more schools/students suffer.
“We request that parents/guardians should freely be allowed to exercise their duty of care in the best interest of their wards in the respective schools without let or hindrance,” it said.
It noted with grave concern the deteriorating security situation in schools and, therefore, recommended a paradigm shift from the outdated watchman system to the deployment of properly trained, well-equipped and educated security personnel to meet the current security challenges.
The heads further requested for urgent recruitment of other critical non-teaching staff to fill existing vacancies.
Source:https://www.graphic.com.gh
Oct 20, 2026
Rice farmers in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region have expressed profound appreciation to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for supporting them with 650 bags of rice seeds to boost rice production in the
district.
The farmers said the supply of the 45-kilogramme bags of seeds was a significant intervention towards improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food security, and supporting the livelihoods of rice farming households.
They however appealed to the Ministry for urgent additional support in the form of fertilizers to enable them to sustain production during the current season.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Ve Golokuati, the farmers said they were currently confronted with serious economic challenges arising from the glut of rice produced during the previous season.
Meanwhile, the District Agriculture Director, Mr Divine Senanu Agbegoe said the excess supply of rice, coupled with limited market access and inadequate purchasing capacity among buyers, had resulted in low farm-gate prices and difficulties in selling harvested paddy rice.
It said many farmers had been unable to recover their production costs, settle outstanding debts and generate sufficient income to sustain their farming activities, leaving them without the necessary capital to purchase essential inputs such as fertilizers, weedicides and pesticides.
He also noted that, although the farmers had benefited from the supply of rice seeds, access to seeds alone was insufficient to ensure successful production, and without complementary inputs, they may be compelled to apply inadequate quantities of fertilizers, leading to reduced productivity and lower-quality produce.
“The farmers are therefore facing a difficult situation: the rice glut has reduced their income, the loss of income has deprived them of the capital needed to purchase inputs, and the lack of inputs now threatens this year’s production,” the statement said.
It warned that without urgent intervention; the cycle could undermine the gains made through the Ministry’s previous support and further weaken the economic livelihoods of rice-producing households in the district.
The farmers therefore appealed to the Ministry to provide fertilizers through a targeted intervention for verified rice farmers and Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs), based on their cultivated acreage, number of beneficiaries and actual input requirements.
They further appealed to the Ministry and relevant stakeholders to facilitate access to reliable markets, rice processing facilities, storage infrastructure and institutional purchasing arrangements to help reduce distress sales and improve farmers’ bargaining power.
Mr Ibrahim Musah who is a farmer, said they remained committed to contributing to Ghana’s food security objectives and increasing domestic rice production but said immediate assistance was necessary to enable them to return to their farms with the required inputs.
He expressed gratitude to the Ministry for its continued commitment to supporting Ghanaian farmers and expressed the hope that the appeal would be given the necessary consideration
Source:https://gna.org.gh/
