The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) has launched the second phase of its activities in Ghana.  The launch, which held from the 20th to 21^st of March 2024 in Accra, brought together key stakeholders to elaborate a common strategy for adopting and scaling available technologies to double productivity in the country and the West African sub-region.

In his opening remarks, Dr Bryan Acheampong, the Ghanaian Minister for Food and Agriculture, lauded the launch of TAAT phase II activities in the country covering rice, soil fertility, water management, maize, vegetables, soybean and fish.

Represented by Hon Yaw Frimpong, the Deputy Minister at the Food and Agriculture ministry, the minister expressed optimism that the joint-launch event will strengthen the institutional framework and environment to support the implementation of TAAT activities in the country.

Hon Frimpong, in his keynote address, recognised TAAT’s role in transforming African agriculture through its deployment model. He highlighted the expected increase in food production under TAAT II and its potential to enhance agricultural productivity in Ghana for food security. He acknowledged the contributions of projects like the Savannah Zone Agricultural Productivity Improvement Project (SAPIP), Savannah Investment Programme, Planting for Food and Jobs, and others in supporting smallholder farmers. He praised the African Development Bank (AfDB) for its commitment to agricultural development and funding support for TAAT phases.

The Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Ghana, Prof. Paul Bosu, who chaired the event, stated that the joint launch of TAAT phase II activities in Ghana will further strengthen quality assurance mechanisms, increase the participation of national stakeholders in the activities of TAAT and develop with all stakeholders, a road map for the implementation of the TAAT activities in the country.

Prof. Bosu hailed TAAT stakeholders for the successful execution of TAAT Phase I and urged all involved in TAAT Phase II to meet its objectives. He highlighted the challenges in agriculture but assured that opportunities exist to address them, emphasising the crucial roles of research institutions, financial institutions, and private partnerships that have formed alliances to tackle these challenges for sustainability.

In a goodwill message at the launch, Ms. Eyerusalem Fasika, the AfDB Country Manager for Ghana, expressed the bank’s support for activities in Ghana’s agriculture sector. She stated that some TAAT projects were initiated as a response to COVID-19’s impact and highlighted AfDB’s substantial $800 million portfolio in Ghana’s agriculture sector.

Ms Fasika commended the sector as one of the best performers under AfDB initiatives and emphasised scaling up technologies for smallholder farmers to boost productivity along the agricultural value chain. She admired being among scientists with innovative technologies and noted AfDB’s commitment to supporting the scale of improved technologies for farmers’ benefit.

Dr. Chrys Akyem, the TAAT Programme Coordinator provided an overview of the TAAT project, attributing its origins to the success of the Feed Africa strategy of the bank. He highlighted the imperatives and challenges facing agriculture, made a case for TAAT in transforming African agriculture, and showcased some of the technologies being deployed by TAAT.

Dr Akem noted Ghana’s progress in cassava yield and Ethiopia’s advancements in wheat production, encouraging similar strides in other commodities. He emphasised scaling up interventions to achieve transformative changes and engaging youth on a larger scale.

Commitments

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) affirmed their commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders for a nationwide impactful partnership. Equally, the Director for Agriculture and Extension Services at the ministry, Mr. Paul Siameh also assured TAAT of their readiness for partnership.

The Vice President of the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), Dr. Oumou Camara, the Representative of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr Abdulrazaq Ibrahim, and the Representative of the CGIAR in Ghana, Dr. Funke Cofie all expressed their commitment and support to the realisation of the TAAT Phase II objectives in Ghana

The two-day event catalysed the realisation of the Ghanaian Government’s agricultural policy goals through seed sector development, raising awareness on the role of quality seed in agricultural transformation, sharing best practices in building sustainable and robust seed systems and value propositions to achieve the government’s goals.

With this successful launch, the TAAT Programme, through its compacts led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the WorldFish Centre, the AfricaRice Centre, the World Vegetable Centre (WorldVeg), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFCD) has formally began work on charting the path for seed sector development guided by a seed roadmap that will boost the supply of quality seeds of climate-resilient and market-preferred varieties to respond to the growing needs for food and industry in Ghana and advocate for more investments in sustainable food production systems for economic prosperity, including job creation and access to nutritious foods.