Author: Sefakor

A proposed GHC1.20 increment per child for the National School Feeding Programme has been described as an insult to food and nutrition. Speaking to the media, the caterers under the School Feeding Programme have rejected the increment suggested by the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu saying GHC1.20 is unacceptable. The caterers who have withdrawn their services since schools reopened are demanding that the government increase the daily amount per child and settle outstanding arrears. The aggrieved caterers are demanding payment of GH¢3.50 per child before they return to work. According to the spokesperson of…

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has implored the need for vigilance among actors involved in the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire cocoa cooperation framework insisting it is important to safeguard the cooperation against the influence of external actors who may attempt to undermine the joint effort for their personal benefit. The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Le Conseil du Café-Cacao (CCC) of Cote d’Ivoire in collaboration with their respective governments established a strategic partnership that will promote and enhance the welfare of cocoa farmers and overall sustainability for the cocoa industry. “While much progress has been made through our…

Farmers in Gomoa Okyereko in the Central Region have accused politicians and other influential people of using land guards to torment them. According to them, over 150 land guards have invaded parts of the community firing live bullets and chasing farmers with guns, and grading their lands to sell to developers. The farming community Gomoa with a population of over 2,000 is located in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region. The residents believe some opinion leaders and politicians from Effutu brought these land guards and tried to use force to take their lands without any court ruling. According…

The Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) will soon start the implementation of a new regulation that bars foreigners from buying cashew nuts directly from farm gates. According to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Operations at the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA), Foster Boateng, enforcing the new regulation will make trading the commodity the sole preserve of Ghanaians. Explaining how this will be done, Mr Boateng stated that foreigners would have to go through registered Ghanaian agents to buy cashew nuts from the farm gates when the law is finally approved. “The draft guideline by the TCDA has been reviewed by…

According to an index by Numbeo’s on restaurants and groceries captured by  Business Insider, Ghana is part of the top African countries where food is expensive to get. Food is a basic requirement that is one of the most essential part of our lives. However, there is no ignoring the fact that food is simply more pricey in some regions than others, and these expensive prices are influenced by a number of factors, including supply and demand, cost of production, processing, transportation, and the cachet of said neighborhood. Since food is the most essential commodity in any economy, considering the…

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is implementing a project on sustainable rice production in Ghana where 11,000 farmers will be trained on the efficient use of water to reduce the emission of methane. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming that is a colourless, odourless gas. It is mainly made up of natural gas, found in small quantities in the atmosphere. The methane project, which is expected to boost yield while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, will gather 20,000 hectares of rice by 2030. The project is the first under the Ghana-Switzerland Article Six Cooperation Approach.…

Officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) last Sunday night impounded 200 maxi bags of cocoa beans on board a heavy-duty truck at Taviefe, close to Ho in the Volta Region heading towards Togo. The Mercedes Benz truck with registration number, BA 265 V, was reported to have travelled from Kade in the Eastern Region through Accra, Sogakope and Ho before Customs officers apprehended them at Taviefe. The driver of the vehicle identified as Felix Tetteh, 30, was arrested and handed over to the police in Ho while the truck was impounded. According to the Daily…

The National Convener of Cashew Watch Ghana, Raphael Ahenu says cashew production can transform Ghana’s economy if the country works towards tapping into the full potential of more than $660 million. According to him, Ghana’s cashew export earnings in 2020 alone fetched the nation $340.7 million. Mr. Ahenu indicated that the cashew sector had huge potential and prospects to transform the economy and appealed to the government to prioritise investments in the industry. His appeal came during the launching of the “Amplifying the Voices of Cashew Farmers (AVFC)” project at Sampa in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.…

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong has announced his outfit’s plans to embark on an aggressive food programme from June 2023 that will result in food security and its availability for the next five years. According to Mr. Acheampong, the 5-year-plan is entirely different from the Planting for Food and Jobs and is currently in Parliament for approval. “This year, from June [2023], government is going to rollout an aggressive programme that will ensure food security and availability for the next five years.“ “The plan, which is going to move away from the current subsidy programme that we…

The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) PLC is asking government to provide tax incentives, tax holidays, and rebates for institutions engaged in agricultural financing as well as reforms on guidelines in order to help expand the market for providing soft loans to the sector. According to the Managing Director of ADB, Alhassan Yakubu-Tali, the bank has remained the first point of contact for agricultural financing despite the wide-ranging challenges in the sector that has scared many banks away from providing financial assistance. Mr.  Yakubu-Tali made these comments  during a courtesy call on the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong on…