Broadspectrum Ltd partners with AfDB, others to train 36 farmers on agricultural technology

Chief Finance Officer of Broadspectrum Limited, Samuel Osew-Kwatia, has urged Ghanaian farmers to collaborate and adopt new farming methodologies and practices for improved yields and prosperity.

He revealed that Broadspectrum Limited has partnered with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to provide training to farmers on new farming practices, which are accessible nationwide through various agencies and Extension Offices.

“So we will call on all of them to collaborate and continue to adopt the use of some of these methodologies and farming practices; they are available not only in this training if you are interested and you search for them; they are available at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; if you come to Broadspectrum, you can get them at the extension offices in the various districts. I mean, all these solutions and all these things are available. We at Broadspectrum have the opportunity because of the expertise we have, and just as I said, we’ve partnered with the Ministry to do some of these things in the past,” he explained.

Mr. Osew-Kwatia disclosed this on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, during the launch of a capacity-building programme for selected farmers and other value chain actors from underserved areas in Ghana dubbed “The AfDB Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab Agritech.”

He said the aim of the training is to ensure that, all over Ghana, Africa, and globally, farmers apply the most recent technologies and best practices to improve yields and also to ensure food sustainability.

“Looking forward and in the years to come, we will like to see a situation where, all over Ghana, in Africa, and globally, farmers are applying the most recent technologies and the best practices to improve yields and to also make sure that there is food sustainability.”

“If you want food to eat, it is available, affordable in all forms of variety, and very healthy for the various people who want to eat such foods,” he added.

Mr. Osew-Kwatia used the opportunity to thank the sponsors and partners of the programme, including the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), PwC Ghana, and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

A representative from the Swiss Embassy, Harriet Donkor, highlighted that Switzerland, through SECO, has been a key partner in Ghana’s economic development, promoting sustainable growth through programmes like agriculture and access to finance, thereby creating more jobs and income opportunities.

“Our collaboration with the African Development Bank’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab to provide relevant technical assistance plays a vital role in our program. We highly value the expertise offered by Broadspectrum.”

“The Government of Switzerland places high priority on the development of sustainable value chains, including agricultural commodities, enhancing SME competitiveness, and facilitating farmers’ access to capital,” she said.

She posited that digital tools can revolutionise agriculture, ensuring sustainability, profitability, and food security for generations to come while driving innovation and efficiency in the sector.

Donkor noted that although Agricultural Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) play a central role in assisting farmers succeed, they face numerous challenges.

“Agricultural enterprise support organisations play a vital role in providing farmers with the resources, knowledge, and assistance they need to thrive. However, these organisations face numerous challenges, including limited resources, logistical constraints, and the need to stay up-to-date with rapidly evolving agricultural practices,” she said.

It is in this light that Switzerland and AfDB are collaborating to enhance the effectiveness of the ESOs in order to reach a broader audience through digital technologies, according to her.

Meanwhile, the project manager of Agrospectrum Limited, a subsidiary of Broadspectrum, Castro Antwi-Danso, said the whole project is supposed to enhance the capacity of enterprise support organisations within the agricultural value chains, including producers, aggregators, outgrowers, incubators, and even community radio stations that provide information for the farmers.

He revealed the ESO’s capacities will be built in areas such as climate adaptation and mitigation, digital literacy, digital marketing, financial literacy, and business management.

Mr. Antwi-Danso said that the trainees, who are largely from underserved regions, will be given the necessary capacity to return to their origins and transfer their training knowledge.

According to him, 18 farmers in the southern part of the country in Accra will undergo a residential training session for 7 days and 18 more in Tamale in the following week, making 36 trainees in all.