Food and agricultural show to take place in Kumasi #ghana

The 6th National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO) will
take place in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, for the
first time, instead of the Greater Accra region, as had been
the practice since its inception.
General Manager of FAGRO, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa,
said in a statement, copied to the Ghana News Agency over
the weekend that, her outfit was very much excited to move
the event to Kumasi, after holding it in Accra consistently
for five years.
She said: "There have been a lot of request by our
stakeholders to move it to another region and we are
excited to finally move to Kumasi, the Trade hub of Ghana
with a lot of agric stakeholders.
"Our traditional partners are excited to move from Accra
and its environs to explore different opportunities in Kumasi
as well."
This year's event, which is on the theme: "Reducing risk
through sustainable agricultural growth and development,"
will be held from Wednesday, November 5 to Friday,
November 7, at the Prempeh Assembly Hall.
The show creates a platform for companies to present and
exhibit appropriate emerging technologies that are helping
shape agriculture, open doors for stakeholders to learn how
appropriate those technologies have been designed for the
Ghanaian market.
Ms. Akosa observed that majority of farmers' productivity
are low, due to inappropriate technology, inappropriate farm
management, lack of finance and insurance policies.
She said progress made with the introduction of schemes
and technologies is far advancing with new insurance,
financing schemes and the introduction of appropriate
Technologies, greenhousing, irrigation and turnkey projects.
"We shall also focus on these schemes and Insurance
packages designed for farmers, its relevance and how they
can aid in reducing risk," she added.
Ms Akosa said the show would also target and project
agriculture business systems, the structures in place,
farmers, farm management, the business side of agriculture,
agri-businesses, companies and entrepreneurs, and that,
Governments increasingly recognize that, the reduction of
risks is a foundation for a successful sustainable
development.
The 2014 event is expected to witness a general exhibition
of local and international agricultural companies in
manufacturing, poultry and poultry equipment, seeds and
seedlings, aqua culture, feeding equipment, packaging and
processing technology, Irrigation systems and financial
institutions, among others.
Event organisers say there would be food competition and
Seminars while another strategic add-on to FAGRO this
year is a field demonstration on rice growing systems,
irrigation and greenhouse technology.
"With our annual partnership with the Ministry of
Agriculture, it is worthy to note that, all the directorates
under the ministry of agriculture will be fully represented at
the fair grounds to showcase their works, opportunities and
contributions to the nation," said Ms Akosa.
She said visitors to the fair have created personal contacts
over the years and therefore the public is being encouraged
to visit this year's fair grounds to network and explore
business opportunities with various local and international
agriculture partners.
For the past five years, FAGRO has created an exhibition,
networking and marketing platform for over 150 companies
into manufacturing, agro-equipment, agri-input,
wholesalers, farming associations, packaging, food
services, financial institutions, fisheries among others.
It has shaped businesses and provided capacity building to
many young farmers and entrepreneurs through seminars,
workshops field demonstrations and attracted over 1000
farmers, who have established contacts with both Local and
International exhibitors, particularly from Brazil, Israel,
Italy, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
FAGRO has over the years brought over 1,000 exhibitors,
government officials, the international community, civil
society, market women, students and various local
international actors in the agric sector.