A taskforce has been set up to monitor and develop strategies to address food security concerns and certification challenges in Ghana’s vegetable sector. The taskforce made up of vegetable processors, retailers, regulatory agencies, exporters and the development partners will also promote both domestic and international standards of fruits and vegetables.
Ghana was between 2014 and 2017 banned by the European Union for exporting vegetables that do not meet European standard. During the period, the country lost as much as $30 million in revenue.
Speaking at the inauguration of the taskforce in Accra, the Director of Horticulture at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Harry Glikponi, said the task force will improve consumer confidence in Ghana’s vegetable sector.
Policy Officer in charge of Agribusiness at the Netherlands Embassy, Mr. Abdulai Abdul Rahaman, indicated the importance of enhancing institutional efforts to improve the food safety situation of fruits and vegetables in Ghana.
According to Mr Rahaman, the taskforce will push the agenda for food safety and improve consumer confidence.
He expressed appreciation for the initiative and challenged stakeholders to make the horticulture sector more attractive also in the context of youth employment.
Programme Manager of Hortifresh, Mrs Sheila Assibey- Yeboah shared the highlights on the objectives of the taskforce which include reviewing the food safety situation in the country and promote both international and domestic standards of fruit and vegetables.
She indicated that the taskforce will coordinate campaigns and consumer education on food safety, as well as support the enforcement of food safety standards that exist in the country. She also mentioned that HortiFresh will play a facilitating role to support activities of the Taskforce.
The Taskforce is made up of various stakeholders from research and knowledge institutes, exporter associations, processors and retailers of fruit and vegetables, regulatory authorities and agencies, development partners and agro input dealers.
HortiFresh which is a programme supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is aimed at prioritising commercial agriculture in its strategic plan of moving from aid to trade.
The programme’s mission to establish a sustainable and internationally competitive fruit and vegetable sector that contributes to inclusive economic growth, food and nutrition security in Ghana and Ivory Coast. The HortiFresh programme consists of two components: fruits and vegetables.
In Ghana, attention is being given to the fruit and vegetable sectors while focusing on other regional fruit supply chain dimensions in the surrounding countries like Ivory Coast.
The objectives include improving productivity in the vegetable sector: facilitating more efficient markets, including linking vegetable producers and other value chain operators with the Dutch private sector: improving the business climate and further professionalizing the value chain for vegetable production and consumption in Africa.
Story by: Doreen Ampofo.