Report by Ben LARYEA
The Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Ms Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa has called on government to engage institutions in the digital space to find innovative ways of rolling out digitised initiatives into the agricultural sector to facilitate and support the activities of farmers across the country.
According to her, the agricultural sector have contributed immensely to the food security of the country and have served as the backbone of the socio-economic development of the country.
“It is for this reason that government as part of its digital drive to enhance productivity and the growth of the economy must also digitise the agricultural sector to challenge farmers to shift from the old way of farming and be abreast with the emerging trends in farming”, she said, adding that the move will give farmers competitive advantage and operate in line with the best practices in the agric value chain.
Ms Alberta Akosa made the call at a workshop organised by TIPS TNK, under the auspices of TransNumerik in partnership with Microsoft on the theme, “Together, Let’s Unleash Your Potential” in Accra.
She said the Foundation have put in place a comprehensive framework work to engage digital firms to harness the potentials of farmers through the digitalisation of production and services and explained however that the Foundation have built the capacity of farmers across the country through the support of development partners, government, corporate institutions among others to support farmers in the application of new farming techniques.
It is against this background that the Foundation have also rolled out programmes and initiatives to support farmers such as Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogues Boot camp (AGSTUD), Gold in the Soil Awards, Mentorship Dialogues, Agricbusiness Resilience and Sustainability Conversion (INTAFAC).
The rest are Women in Food and Agriculture Leadership Forum (WOFAGRIC), Livestock Poultry and Fisheries Tradeshows (LiPF), Annual Pre-Harvest Agribusiness house Agri-Woman Market Place.
She added that the Foundation have supported 27 agricultural students in its 4th edition and mentorship dialogue boot camp which forms part of the effort to support and empower the youth in digital agric farming and networking.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TransNumerik and Partner of TNK, Mr. Mody Oury Barry said plans are far advanced to set up an office in Ghana aside its offices in the francophone countries adding that it will be resource with the needed logistics particularly ICT to identify and address challenges of businesses and to enhance also digital transformation in the trade sector.
Managing Director of TransNumerik, Mr. Martin Turgeon said digitalisation is the way forward in driving trade and businesses and explained that in the wake of the COVID-19 transactions were done electronically in spite of the challenges the pandemic brought to bear to companies and CEOs.
Territory Chanel Manager of Microsoft, Mr. Bazouumana Assante underscored the need to leverage data in trade and investment in Africa saying it forms part of the effort to enhance operations of institutions digitally.
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