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Under the scotching sun on a small farm, Madam Asaamah Akurigo, a 36-year-old farmer from Awaradone, a farming community in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, grows various kinds of vegetables. The mother of two cultivates kenaf, okro, onion, pepper among other local nutrient- dense vegetables through the use of solar powered mechanised borehole installed in her community. She feeds her family with some of the vegetables for nutritional diets, while she harvests the rest to sell on the local markets to earn some income. The most interesting thing is that when the rains end in October and the dry season sets in, Madam Akurigo no longer travels to southern Ghana to wash bowls in chop bars as she used to do, instead she engages in dry season vegetable production. 'Due to the erratic rainfall, we don't usually get good yields during the rainy season, so during the dry season I always travel with my friends to the South to work and return during the rainy season to undertake our farming activities, ' she told the Ghana News Agency. 'I have been doing that to fend for my two children and it has not been easy but now I concentrate on my vegetable farming, which is much better than travelling down south to wash bowls and sleep under distress conditions.' The solar irrigation system in the community allows Madam Akurigo and her family to overcome the increasing lengthy dry spells and grow crops throughout the dry season and into the rainy season. Madam Akurigo is just one among the more than 500 smallholder women farmers drawn from eight communities in four districts of the Upper East and Upper West regions, who are supported with solar irrigation systems to undertake dry season vegetable farming as part of the climate change adaptation efforts. The beneficiary communities are Awaradone and Yameriga in the Talensi District, Gbango and Tarikom in the Bawku West District, Dalaasa and Naadema; Builsa South District, all in the Upper East Region, as well as Nanchala and Sakalu in the Sisaala East District o f the Upper West Region. Already, seven hectares of farmlands have been secured and fenced at Awaradone, Tarikom, Sakalu and Naadema communities and the women and youth are already practicing solar irrigated vegetable production. The support is part of the Creating Lands of Opportunity: Transforming Livelihoods through Landscape Restoration in the Sahel (LOGMe), a three-year project of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a Non-Governmental Organisation. This is being implemented in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Niger with funding support from the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security through the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). In Ghana the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SARI) is an implementing partner of the project in eight communities of the four districts. This is in collaboration with the the Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the A Rocha Ghana, a non-governmental organisation. The project aimed to empower communities to contribute significantly towards landscape restoration, adapting to the impact of changing climate by engaging climate-smart and sustainable agriculture practices while creating income generating opportunities for the beneficiaries. Climate Change Impact Experts say climate change threatens the livelihoods of many rural folks and agriculture production with increased temperatures, erratic rainfall, long droughts and floods, and the situation is likely to push millions of people into extreme poverty in the near future. Even if food production increases by 60 per cent, it would be difficult to ensure food security globally by 2050 due to increasing population and threats of climate change (Food and Agriculture Organisation). The situation, coupled with loss of soil fertility, is believed to be getting worse in the dry Sahel region and there is the need to adapt and increase food production to avert hunger. Through th e LOGMe project, communities such as Awaradone, Tarikom, Naadema and Sakalu, smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, are now adapting to the climate change impacts by engaging in solar irrigation throughout the year. Impact Madam A-ankeli Adugbila, a 38-year-old beneficiary from Awaradone, who cultivates okro, onion and kenaf through the solar irrigation system, said engaging in dry season vegetable production has had a positive effect on family. 'Unlike before, we now get vegetables to balance our diet and also sell some to earn income, which helps me to take care of my children in school,' she said. 'Last year, for instance, I made about GH?1,000.00 from the sale of vegetables I cultivated. So currently I am saving some money to help my daughter who gained admission into the tertiary institution last year but couldn't go due to lack of funds.' 'Apart from that, the project has brought peace to my home because I can now contribute to the upkeep of the family and I no longer disturb my husband for money all the time.' Ms Helena Alaarika, a senior high school student from Naadema, noted that through the vegetable production, she had been able to earn income to provide her basic needs such as sanitary pads and feeding at school. Naba Ayoore Abdul-Karim, the Chief of Tarikom, lauded the project for not only helping to restore degraded landscapes but also teaching the community sustainable agriculture practices, which had helped to reduce bushfires and improved organic fertiliser usage. Need to Adapt Dr Julius Yirzagla, Senior Research Scientist with the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute, told the GNA that climate change impact was hitting hard at the agriculture sector, hence the urgent need for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture production to help communities adapt to the changing weather. The project, through a Sustainable Value Chain Development Plan, thus trained small holder farmers on best agronomic practices and introduced them to improved, high yielding seeds, particularly so ya beans and maize and their cultivation. 'We introduced them to early maturing crop varieties like maize and soya bean, which is actually in line with climate smart agriculture and the community members have taken ownership of all the things we have done.' 'They are now producing certified maize and soya bean seeds to sell,' he said. LOGMe Project Ms Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei, the National Coordinator of IUCN, said although Ghana was not directly a Sahelian country, many rural and vulnerable areas continue to face desertification, landscape degradation and adverse effects of climate change, affecting livelihoods, particularly of women and children. Through the solar powered mechanised boreholes under the project, the beneficiaries were practicing all year-round vegetable production, empowering them economically by earning income from the sale of the vegetables. 'More than 10,000 farmers from all the eight project landscapes benefit from climate change and adoptive measures such as postharvest handling, soil fertility improvement, pest and disease management among others…,' she said. 'While more than 20,000 farmers have benefited from farm and storage equipment including roller planters, multipurpose threshers, and weighing scales.' Ms Agyei indicated that through the project over 1,700 hectares of degraded landscapes have been restored in the eight communities involved in the management of natural resources such as the protection of water bodies and forest reserves. 'Another aspect of the project is introducing the communities to sustainable renewable energy to reduce felling of trees for charcoal production and fuel wood, especially in the Sisaala areas.' 'So, we have provided about 2,800 households in the eight communities with improved cook stoves and introduced them to using grass as briquettes as alternatives to charcoal and the communities are no longer cutting trees.' Suffice it to say that the project has also introduced alternative livelihoods such as soap making, soya bean khebab and milk and is l ooking at opportunities to upscale to other communities to make maximum impact. 'Over 200 women in Yameriga, Dalaasa, Tarikom and Nanchala have their capacities developed in soya bean processing and are making business out of this training,' she added. Ms Felicite Chabi Gonne, Regional LOGMe Project Coordinator (Ghana, Niger and Burkina Faso), said it was time for the formulation of climate adaptive strategies to empower communities to stay resilient. She urged the local authorities to help scale up these interventions to other places to widen the impact made and ensure food security. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) has objected to the government's plan to designate the Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Company (BEST) as the sole off-taker for Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited's production under the Gold for Oil programme (G40). The Distributors said the proposal contradicted the deregulation policy governing the petroleum downstream sector, expressing concerns that it aimed to indirectly control the exchange rate by channelling Sentuo Oil Refinery's cedi liquidity through Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) to manage USD allocations under the G40 programme. A statement issued in Accra by Dr Patrick Ofori, the Chief Executive of CBOD, in a plea directed at Dr Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia, the Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team (EMT), urged a reconsideration of the proposal, asserting that achieving the necessary USD liquidity for the G40 programme could be accomplished without tying Sentuo Oil Refinery's entire output to BEST. 'We are convinced that this plan is inconsistent with the deregulation policy that guides the activities of the petroleum downstream sector. We are informed that the plan has been necessitated by the government's aim to control the exchange rate by indirectly ceding Sentuo Oil Refinery's cedi liquidity through BEST for the latter to manage USD allocations under the G40 programme,' it said. The statement appealed to the Vice President to review this proposal. It said providing the needed USD liquidity under the G40 programme could still be achieved without necessarily anchoring the entire output of Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited (SORL) with BEST. The statement said the proposal had the potential of market challenges and deficiencies that could detrimentally affect the downstream sector in the medium to long term. It asserted that the proposal undermined government efforts to foster private sector involvement and contravened the successful petroleum deregulation policy. 'By sidelining Bulk Oil Import, Distribution and Export C ompanies (BIDECs), the government risks stifling competition and impeding the growth of a robust private sector within the industry,' it said. It warned of the risk of creating a monopolistic market controlled by a single entity, which could negatively impact both the downstream sector and the fuel-consuming public. The Chamber emphasised the need for a framework that promoted active participation from all stakeholders, including BEST, BIDECs, and private entities across the downstream value chain. 'The government risks creating a monopolistic market which will negatively impact the downstream sector and the fuel-consuming public at large and the G40 programme has nearly given 50 per cent control of the market to BEST whereas Sentuo production accounts for 20 per cent of the market needs,' it said. It said having a single player control such a monumental share would rob the market of the benefits of efficiency, lower prices and growing local market expertise that the deregulation policy had occasioned. T he statement said significant contributions of the BIDEC subsector to national development, include ensuring energy sufficiency during supply shortages and investing in storage infrastructure. It urged policymakers to reconsider their stance and adopt a collaborative approach that leveraged the strengths of all entities. The statement reiterated the Chamber's commitment to collaborating with the government to develop a G40 framework that fostered fair market practices, transparency, innovation, sustainability, and efficiency within Ghana's downstream petroleum sector. 'The Chamber is committed to working with the government to develop a workable G40 framework that fosters fair market practices and transparency while promoting innovation, sustainability and an efficient downstream petroleum sector in Ghana,' it said. Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Bryan Acheampong, Minister for Foods and Agriculture (MOFA), says the Golden Exotics Limited (GEL), has carved a remarkable niche in the agricultural landscape. He said from its humble beginnings two decades ago, the company had burgeoned into a powerhouse, employing 4,000 permanent workers. Dr Acheampong said this during the climax of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Golden Exotics Limited, Ghana's largest banana exporter in Asutsuare. 'With over 2000 hectares of banana plantation, annual exports amounting to 100,000 tons of bananas, and a distinguished position as one of the largest suppliers of Fairtrade Bananas to Europe,' the Minister added. He said within some months, a 1,750-hectare land was acquired from the MOFA through the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority on the extension of the Kpong Irrigation Project. Dr Acheampong said the land was the long-abandoned sugarcane fields of the erstwhile Ghana Sugar Estates which could not be developed for rice cultivation because water had to b e pumped at high cost from the lower canals to the area which was higher. He said the Company generated over 60 million Euros annually in foreign exchange and contributed more than 20 million Euros to the local economy through salaries, purchases, electricity, and rent, the company exemplifies the transformative potential of agricultural investments. 'Indeed, if Ghana had 20 similar projects, the ramifications for employment and economic growth would be profound,' he added. The Minister said with 80 per cent of products exported to Europe and the remaining 20 per cent to countries including Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Benin, Golden Exotics was poised to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the roll-out of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). 'Furthermore, I acknowledge Golden Exotics' significant contribution to road maintenance, spending close to GH?2 million annually on maintaining and repairing roads to and around the plantation,' he said. Nana Ama Asiama-Adjei, the De puty Minister of Trade and Industry, in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Benjamin Asiam, Head, Export Trade Development of the Ministry, said currently, banana was the most exported horticultural crop in terms of volume and value in Ghana. She said as a non-traditional export crop and an emerging industry, Ghana's banana export had significantly increased in the last 15 years, from 32, 240 tons in 2007 to 108, 379 tons in 2021, largely due to the success of GEL. Nana Asiama-Adjei said since 2005, the Company had dominated Ghana's horticultural exports, accounting for 82 per cent share of sea shipment and about 70 per cent by both air and sea. Presently, the Company has over 2,000 hectares of banana plantation consisting of 12,000 conventional banana farms at Kasunya, 600 hectares of organic banana plantation also at Kasunya, and one of the single largest organic banana in one location in the world. 'A new banana plantation in the Volta Region was started at Torgorme in Kpong, for which 200 hectares have now been planted,' she added. The Deputy Trade Minister said the government was committed to making Ghana a leading West Africa export hub. Mr Benedict Rich, Managing Director, GEL, said farming was the best way in which a country could transform people's lives, and that farming done well could improve the economy and even the environment. 'But it is rare in Ghana for a farm to have such a transformative effect, and that is because of their philosophy, which we will talk more about later,' he added. The Managing Director said in 2006, they had 150 hectares and exported 7000 tonnes, adding that a year later, they expanded to 400 hectares and exported nearly 20,000 tonnes. He said in the last 20 years, they had renovated all their Corporate Social Responsibility projects in the surrounding areas. Mr Rich said for the two decades, the banana plantation had been a beacon of hope and opportunity for the communities they served. The Managing Director said low productivity was still a major challenge, with po or roads and inadequate infrastructure presenting formidable obstacles to their operations, threatening to hinder their ability to deliver on their commitments. He said GEL had adopted the use of drones, working with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for precision agriculture, where leveraging on drone technology made it possible to monitor crops more efficiently. Source: Ghana News Agency

Ahead of World Intellectual Property Day, the United States (U.S) Embassy together with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) organised a training session for Ghanaian judges and law enforcement officers. The session, which opened on Tuesday April 23, 2024 in Accra, brought together 60 people and aims to 'promote protection and enforcement of intellectual property and legitimate international trade'. The two-part session focused first on judges, then customs and law enforcement officials over a four-day period. World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated annually on April 26 to recognise the importance of intellectual property protections that reward creators, protect innovation, and support legitimate economic growth. Ghana is a leading signatory to intellectual property treaties among Middle Eastern and African nations. U.S. federal judges, officials from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security, along with officials from Ghana's Regi strar General's Department and Copyright Office led the training and discussions at the West Africa Regional Training Center in Accra. The U.S. Embassy, in partnership with USPTO, is a long-term supporter of strengthening Ghana's intellectual property protection and enforcement infrastructure to promote innovation and long-term economic growth. 'In the information age, intellectual property protections are key to promoting equitable economic growth and international trade while protecting individual innovations. 'We hope this training will help make Ghana's IP processes more accessible to ordinary Ghanaians by sharing our experience in the United States regarding the adjudication and enforcement of IP cases,' Chargé d'affaires Rolf Olson, said at the opening session. The training followed a visit by Ghanaian officials to USPTO headquarters in the United States last year, where partners identified common areas of interest for future cooperation. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, has honoured Kofi Kokua Asante Anyimadu, a student of Galaxy International School for his outstanding achievement in AS Level French Exam. He clinched the top spot worldwide for the Cambridge AS Level French Exam in 2023. A statement from Galaxy International to the Ghana News Agency, explained that the exceptional feat not only underscored Kofi's dedication and hard work but also highlighted the stellar standard of education upheld at the school. At a meeting with the Minister, he lauded Kofi for his remarkable accomplishment and presented to him a certificate of achievement, symbolizing the nation's recognition of his academic prowess. Mr Adutwum said it was prudent to nurture and showcase the talent pool within the country, underscoring the need for platforms that enable students to represent Ghana on the global stage. He also outlined plans to enhance the vision of educational institutions for the betterment of Ghanaian education. Mr Mehmet Akmermer, t he Managing Director of Galaxy International School, expressed gratitude for the Minister's time and hospitality during the meeting. He highlighted the significance of collaboration between the government and educational institutions in fostering academic excellence. Galaxy International School, known for its emphasis on social values and academic rigour, continues to produce students who excel not only academically but also in extracurricular activities. With state-of-the-art facilities and a focus on holistic development, the school remains a beacon of educational excellence in the region. Source: Ghana News Agency