Agric stakeholders charged to build on momentum
A two-day stakeholders’ forum on the increase of fertilizer use in agricultural productivity and its availability in the West African sub-region, has ended in Accra.
The conference, which brought together public officials, policy makers, international manufacturers and traders, fertilizer importers, bankers, farmers and development partners focused more on the fertilizer value chain and how to build regional networks.
Mr Alexandre Deprez, Regional Mission Director, USAID West African speaking at the closing ceremony charged the stakeholders to build on the momentum they had gain from the forum and work to address the problem associated the fertilizer value chain as a region.
He said issues on the fertilizer value chain were complex and the barrier to increased production, distribution and farmer use require cooperation and team effort across many stakeholders.
Mr Deprez said he was pleased to see such a broad range of people at the forum actively participating in group sessions to debate and create consensus on issues.
He said all the players in the fertilizer value chain, from the government official to the farmer had critical roles in improving fertilizer use through systemic and sustainable change.
Mr Deprez also stated that the United States government would continue to support effort at improving food security including removing constraints that limit competitiveness of the fertilizer sector.
He said issues of high transport costs, fragmented markets, expensive financing and limited private sector involvement were things that could not be solved on a country by country basis.
He expressed delight at the recommendation made by the stakeholders to build national and regional capacity for quality control, laboratory testing and inspection services as steps towards implementing the regional regulations.
Mr Deprez further commended the stakeholders for coming out with innovative financing along the entire value chain and identified financing resources that could be creatively used to expand fertilizer distribution.
He said the intention of the fertilizer stakeholders to form a trade association to champion the cause of the group was a laudable one.
Dr Marc Atouga, ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources stated that the development of West Africa based on agriculture lay in the hands of the people and that nowhere in the world had the public developed agriculture sector but the private sector.
He said the ECOWAS Commission was committed to creating the environment conducive to the private sector getting into the business of the agricultural sector.
He said the Commission would ask its member states to apply the agreements they signed at the regional level to be implemented at the country level.
Dr Atouga called for unity among the stakeholders so that they could defend their common interest thereby doing business easily in the region and also moving agricultural issues to the farmer at a low cost and yet make good business.
He said when prices of inputs were high one did not have much customers buying his products and as such did not make much money, adding that in doing the business the right way, it was a win win situation for everybody.
He urged the participants to build on the drive gathered at the conference to address the issues that had been prioritized leading to a meaningful progress that goes beyond policy to make a difference.
Source: GNA