Sep 7, 2026
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in partnership with the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR), has launched a Striga control awareness campaign in the Upper East Region to tackle the growing threat of the parasitic weed to food production and rural livelihoods.
Striga, commonly known as witchweed, is a parasitic plant that attaches itself to the roots of cereal crops, including sorghum, millet, maize and rice, and deprives them of water and nutrients, negatively impacting yields.
In districts including Nabdam, Talensi, Bongo and Kassena-Nankana West, the infestation has become particularly severe, with some heavily affected farms recording crop losses of between 60 and 100 per cent.
The campaign on the theme: “Healthy Soils, Living Trees, Smart Practices Starve Striga – Regreen to Reclaim,” was held at Kparaboug in the Nabdam District, with funding support from Awaken Trees of Austria under the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration for Women Empowerment and Livelihood Project (FMNR4WELIP).
The Executive Director of FONAR, Sumaila Saaka, said the weed had moved beyond being an ordinary agricultural pest to becoming a threat to household food security and rural incomes.
He explained that Striga could produce tens of thousands of seeds per plant, which could remain viable in the soil for many years, making the weed difficult to eradicate once a field became infested.
Mr Saaka said the situation was worsened by declining soil fertility, continuous cultivation of cereals, loss of tree cover, climate variability and the unintentional spread of Striga seeds through farm tools, animals, water runoff and contaminated crop residues.
He said the campaign was therefore designed to address both the weed and the underlying causes of land degradation.
Campaign
The campaign promotes Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), legume rotation and intercropping, application of compost and manure, early removal of Striga before seed production, and the use of tolerant crop varieties where available.
Mr Saaka said FONAR would provide farmer education materials, radio awareness messages, community sensitisation and school educational materials to improve the understanding of Striga and its control.
He said restoring soil health was central to the campaign because Striga thrived in degraded soils with low fertility.
“Lasting Striga control comes from combining several compatible practices consistently, season after season, across whole communities rather than single fields,” he said.
Targeting measurable results
The campaign seeks to ensure that at least 80 per cent of targeted farming communities can identify Striga, understand its life cycle and transmission pathways, and know at least three non-chemical control methods within the first year.
It also aims to increase the adoption of FMNR, legume rotation and soil fertility practices by 50 per cent in participating communities within two cropping seasons.
Over three years, the partners hope to achieve at least a 40 per cent reduction in Striga emergence and a 30 per cent reduction in associated cereal yield losses on participating and demonstration farms.
Mr Saaka said the Trans-Sahara WEFE Nexus Agroforestry initiative was being piloted in Tindongo and urged farmers to become “Striga control warriors” and called on district assemblies to include Striga management in their agricultural development plans.
Impact
The Nabdam District Crop Officer, Adams Musah, said Striga had become a serious threat to crop production in the district, with several farmers suffering substantial losses.
“Striga is a serious parasite that has affected crop yield in the Nabdam District, and we are grateful for this partnership with FONAR for this campaign,” he said.
Source: https://www.graphic.com.gh
Sep 7, 2026
Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, is calling for a borderless Africa to facilitate the movement of agricultural produce and boost intra-African trade.
Mr Dumelo made the call in an interview on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), where he held discussions with agriculture ministers, Ghanaian agricultural entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders on ways to strengthen Ghana’s agricultural sector and the continent’s food systems.
Mr Dumelo noted African countries have different agricultural strengths and resources, making it important for countries to trade more among themselves.
“No country is an island. What we have, they may not have, and some of the things they have, we don’t have,” he said.
He said Africa must explore opportunities to move agricultural goods more easily across the continent, including between Ghana and countries such as Rwanda, Liberia, and South Africa, and vice versa.
Mr Dumelo, however, acknowledged that several bottlenecks continue to hinder intra-African trade. These, he said, include visa restrictions, import and export tariffs, inadequate road infrastructure and other challenges that affect the movement of goods and services.
He called for the expansion of existing trade corridors, including the West African corridor, to create a more integrated African market.
“We need to expand that. Let’s have a borderless Africa so movement of goods and services will be eased and we can trade more with our African partners,” he said.
The Deputy Minister stressed that achieving a borderless Africa would require collaboration beyond the agriculture sector, involving institutions responsible for foreign affairs, infrastructure, health and other areas.
He said work had already begun to address some of the challenges restricting intra-African agricultural trade, with the goal of making a more integrated African trading system a reality.
More about AFSF
Mr Dumelo is one of several high-profile dignitaries participating in the 20th edition of the AFSF from September 1–4, at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda.
It is being held under the theme “Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience.”
AFSF is the world’s premier forum for African agriculture and food systems, bringing together stakeholders to take practical action and share lessons that will move African food systems forward.
Organisers say more than 5,000 stakeholders from over 50 countries are expected to participate.
The Forum has identified investment and finance, food security and nutrition, climate resilience, youth and digital innovation, and trade and markets as key focus areas.
Mr. Dumelo expressed appreciation to AGRA, a key partner of the AFSF, for creating opportunities for leaders from across the world to deliberate on Africa’s food systems.
He said government cannot transform Ghana’s food systems sector alone and called for stronger collaboration with development partners to advance agriculture across the continent.
“We cannot do it alone. We need all the development partners on board, so we can work together to make Africa great,” he said.
The Forum also provided an opportunity for young people from Ghana working in the food systems space to engage with the Deputy Minister and discuss issues concerning agriculture and the future of food systems in Africa.
Source: https://www.myjoyonline.com
Sep 7, 2026
The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat (24H+) has signed Heads of Terms with four investment partners for a US$270 million National Poultry Transformation Programme aimed at boosting domestic poultry production and creating 12,000 direct jobs.
The agreement, signed at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in Accra, brings together UK-based agrifood investment company Agrium Capital, Petra Trust, Axis Pension Trust and Ghana EXIM Bank.
The investment is described as the largest UK agrifood investment in Ghana to date and is expected to support the development of an integrated poultry value chain covering feed production, breeding, hatchery operations, broiler farming, processing, cold-chain facilities, logistics and market access.
Under the first phase, the programme is expected to produce about 20,000 tonnes of dressed and processed broiler products annually, with plans to scale production to 50,000 tonnes.
The initiative is also intended to reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported poultry, with the country currently spending approximately US$400 million annually on chicken and other poultry products. Increased local production is expected to retain a greater share of that expenditure within the Ghanaian economy while creating opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, Augustus Goosie Tanoh, said the investment demonstrates the government’s strategy of leveraging both domestic and international capital to expand productive sectors.
“This is a purposeful blend of foreign private capital and Ghanaian private capital, aligned to build this industry at scale,” he said.
Economic Counsellor and Head of the Growth Team at the British High Commission, Simone Mousey, welcomed the agreement, describing it as an opportunity to deepen commercial relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom, particularly in agriculture and agrifood.
Chief Executive Officer of Agrium Capital, Rod Bassett, said the investment reflected confidence in Ghana’s poultry industry and its capacity to contribute to food security, domestic production and value creation.
Country Director for Ghana at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Sam Mensah-Baah, said the programme demonstrated the importance of partnerships capable of converting Ghana’s economic ambitions into jobs, productive capacity and sustainable growth.
Source: https://www.myjoyonline.com
Sep 7, 2026
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has eulogised the late Ibrahim Adam, the first Minister of Agriculture under Ghana’s Fourth Republic, as a foundational figure whose reforms continue to shape the sector.
Alhaji Adam died on 30th August, and his final Aduwa is expected on Sunday.
A delegation, on behalf of the Minister for Food and Agriculture, visited the family home to mourn with the family and to present food items and an undisclosed amount of money to support the funeral arrangements.
The team was led by the National Deputy Coordinator for Feed Ghana (School Farms), Nathaniel Adams Jnr., and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Speaking on behalf of the minister, Nathaniel Adams Jnr. described the late Ibrahim Adam as the architect of the modern ministry.
“Alhaji Ibrahim Adam was the first minister of agriculture under the Fourth Republic. He worked to put in place the structures for the take-off of the ministry,” Mr Adams Jnr said.
Mr. Adams Jnr highlighted the late minister’s legacy in agricultural extension services, noting that he strengthened and made the service more visible by providing motorbikes to extension officers across the country.
He said that his pioneering work has now been taken a step further by the current administration led by the minister.
“That pioneering work has been moved a step further with the recruitment of over 500 personnel into the Agric Brigade, provided with resources to take extension even further,” Adams jnr said.
The delegation extended the Minister’s condolences to the bereaved family.
In response, the brother of the late minister who spoke on behalf of the family expressed the family’s appreciation to the Ministry for its support and confirmed that the final Aduwa would be held tomorrow.
To support the funeral rites, the Ministry donated a bull, bags of maize, Made-in-Ghana rice, and an undisclosed cash amount.
Source: https://www.myjoyonline.com
Sep 4, 2026
African leaders attending the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Kigali, Rwanda, say that while the continent has made significant progress in transforming its food systems, decisive investments are needed to build a more sustainable agrifood sector.
The call came as the Forum opened with reflections on 20 years of efforts to strengthen African agriculture and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, who is also chair of the AGRA Board, said Africa’s experience has demonstrated that agricultural transformation is possible when governments coordinate institutions and focus on empowering farmers.
He urged African governments to take greater ownership of their food systems agendas by establishing effective coordination and delivery mechanisms.
“A capable state does not wait for others to organise its future; it sets direction, brings partners into alignment and holds itself accountable for what changes in people’s lives,” Prime Minister Dessalegn added.
Dr. Namanga Ngongi, former President of AGRA, reflected on the vision that shaped the organisation’s work 20 years ago, when efforts were largely focused on helping smallholder farmers gain access to agricultural inputs and markets.
“20 years ago, the vision was to help the smallholder farmers access inputs and be connected to markets so that they can generate income,” Dr Ngongi said.
He said the discussions at the Forum demonstrated how significantly that vision had evolved, with greater emphasis now being placed on treating farms as businesses and farmers as entrepreneurs.
“The whole vision has changed from the smallest unit of farms to the largest as a business,” he said. “We should now take African farmers seriously as businesswomen and businessmen.”
Hari Menon, President of Global Growth & Opportunity at the Gates Foundation, pointed to advances in agricultural innovation and access to technologies as another important marker of progress over the past two decades.
He recalled that 20 years ago many smallholder farmers, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, lacked access to agricultural solutions tailored to their specific farms, soils, crops and climatic conditions.
“Today, that’s no longer the case,” Mr Menon said.
AGRA President Ms Alice Ruhweza also noted the progress achieved over the past 20 years was the result of a broader ecosystem of institutions and actors working to create the conditions necessary for farmers to succeed.
“20 years ago, we began with a clear conviction. That African smallholder farmers were not just waiting to be saved. They were waiting for the conditions around them to work — soils, seeds, science, knowledge, markets, finance, policy, partnerships,” Ms Ruhweza said.
She said farmers had always demonstrated innovation and resilience, but needed stronger systems to turn those capabilities into sustained economic opportunity.
“The farmers always had the innovation and the courage. They just needed a system to carry them forward,” she said. “And that is the part that we’ve done. But we haven’t done it alone.”
Prime Minister of Rwanda, Dr Nsengiyumva Justin, said the country, like others across Africa, was continuing to learn how to convert its agricultural potential into prosperity while strengthening its commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
“None of us can do this alone. No single government, business or institution has all the answers or all the resources required. But together, we have what it takes,” he said.
The need to mobilise greater levels of finance for food systems transformation was also prominent during the opening ceremony.
Dr Gérardine Mukeshimana, Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said recent global food security data indicated that the rise in hunger in Africa had halted, but warned that the progress needed to be converted into lasting transformation.
“The latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report shows that the rise in hunger in Africa has halted. Our task now is to turn this progress into lasting transformation,” Dr Mukeshimana said.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission, Moses Vilakati, called for a stronger focus on domestic food production and processing, arguing that food imports represented missed economic opportunities for African farmers.
“We must reduce food imports. Africa should become a proper processor of food. Not an importer,” he said.
Mr Amath Pathe Sene, Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), called for enhanced efforts to improve Africa’s food systems.
“We must move capital, we must move businesses, we must create jobs for African young people and our women, we must nourish our people, and we must build food systems capable of withstanding the climate change challenge ahead,” he said.
AFSF is the world’s premier forum for African agriculture and food systems, bringing together stakeholders to take practical action and share lessons that will move African food systems forward.
The 20th edition of the Forum, from September 1–4, 2026, at the Kigali Convention Centre, is being held under the theme “Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience.”
Organisers say more than 5,000 stakeholders from over 50 countries are expected to participate.
Source:www.myjoyonline.com
Sep 4, 2026
Vice-President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has urged Ghanaians to eat more locally produced food, saying consumer choices can help support farmers, businesses and jobs across the country.
She made the call while praising the Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, for promoting the consumption of made-in-Ghana rice and other locally produced foods.
In a statement, the Vice-President said Ghana needed to increasingly “eat what we grow and grow what we eat”, arguing that choosing locally produced food could have a wider impact on the economy.
She said buying food produced by Ghanaian farmers would help support their livelihoods, strengthen local businesses and keep more value within the domestic economy.
According to her, increased demand for locally produced food could also create jobs along the agricultural value chain, from farming and processing to distribution and retail.
The Vice-President said the government would continue to support efforts to increase domestic food production through initiatives such as the Feed Ghana Programme.
However, she stressed that government measures alone would not be enough and that consumers also had an important role to play.
“Government action must be matched by our choices as consumers,” she said.
She encouraged Ghanaians to take pride in locally produced food and make deliberate choices to support products grown and made in the country.
“Let us proudly consume what Ghana produces,” she added.
Source:https://metrotvonline.com
