Ghana signs agric industrialization deal with India

pulse-ghana admin

June 2, 2017 3:33 PM

Ghana among other African countries receives funding for agric sector

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Ghana has signed a number of partnership with India to enhance the supply of agricultural machinery, credit advancement to farmers and scientific cooperation.

Ghana together with other African countries initially signed an agreement with the Indian state of Gujarat for the supply of farm machinery and also ensure training on the use of the machinery in mechanized agriculture and cooperation in the use of the machinery in mining.

These partnerships were announced as African Ministers of Agriculture, private sector associations and, converged for crucial sessions of deal-making at the 52nd session of the, on May 24, 2017 to rapidly advance cooperation.

Ministers of Agriculture in some African countries, private sector associations and industry representatives from Africa met during the annual African Development Bank (AfDB) Meetings in India discuss issues on advancing agriculture on the continent.

Speaking at the meeting, State Minister of Agriculture, Chimanbhai Dharamshibai Shaparia , said "We feel the areas identified for cooperation could raise agricultural productivity in Africa and we want to ensure that capacity building is given full priority."

He highlighted that Africa has a huge agricultural potential and that through India-Africa cooperation, that potential could be harnessed to feed other parts of the world.

The Indian Government is currently preparing an aide memoire – an informal diplomatic communication to all African countries – indicating proposed negotiating texts on identified fields of agriculture cooperation, he said at a session on “Africa-India Cooperation: Partnerships for Green Revolution”.

India has made a proposal to provide vaccines to enable West African countries to deal with foot and mouth disease – an illness that affects livestock production.

The Indian Government also spoke of its eagerness to advance cooperation through rapid expansion of agricultural trade between the two regions.

To ensure a trade balance, the Indian Government is also ready to accept imports of key cereals and grains from African producers. One key import from Africa is expected to be pigeon peas, which the New Delhi-based Indian Government hopes to assist farmers in cultivating.

The Indian Government believes both sides could exchange key commodities through trade – with India availing markets for millet produced from Africa, while India would look for opportunities to sell its wheat to the continent.

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