Broadspectrum Limited plays a pivotal role as the primary sponsor of farmers
This is to strengthen the capacity of Enterprise Support Organizations to support the digitization of agriculture entrepreneurs and startups in Ghana.
Broadspectrum Limited has trained farmers in digital agribusiness to enhance quality and efficient agriculture production.
This project is being done by the collaborative effort of Broadspectrum, African Development Bank, Switzerland State Secretariat For Economic Affairs (SECO) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc). In all, AfDB and SECO in particular are funding the project.
This was done when The African Development Bank Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab Agritech was launched.
Broadspectrum Limited recently played a pivotal role as the primary sponsor of farmers in the field of technology (digitization) to make farming attractive.
Speaking at the launch, the General Manager of Agrospectrum, a subsidiary of Broadspectrum, Mr. Castro Antwi-Danso said the project is to enhance the capacity of Enterprise Support Organizations within the agricultural value chain which comprises of producers, aggregators, outgrowers, incubators and community radio stations that provide information for farmers.
According to him, participants will undergo climate adaptation and mitigation, digital and financial literacy, digital marketing and business management.
He added that, the participants who will undergo the training transfer it to their farmers in the served areas to understand the new methods of farming.
He reveals that 36 people are undergoing the training whilst 18 people will be trained in the Northern Region of Ghana next week.
Mr. Samuel Osew-Kwatia, who is the Group Chief Finance Officer (CFO) said trainees are selected group or entities from agri value chain which some are poultry farmer, fertilizer dealers, farming equipment producers and this who have access to climate weather conditions.
He said the participants will be put together and let them understand the various systems that are available, the various technologies that exist and that can be leverage to improve what they are doing.
Mr. Kwatia is with the believe that years to come, farmers in Ghana and all over the world, will be applying the recent technologies and the best of practices to improve yield and to also make sure there is food sustainability and affordability in all forms of variety and is healthy for whatever people who want to eat.
A partner from the PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc) and also doubles as the Director of Assurance, Mr. Hayfron Aboagye indicated that as a firm, their purpose is to build trust in society and help solve important problems.
He said the one of the key problems in our world now is the needed investment in agriculture hence, the need to partner with the development partners to ensure that all needed results that we need in the agricultural sector is achieved.
Mr. Aboagye said a lot technologies and innovation is needed in the agric sector and since agric requires a lot of human efforts, there is the need to adapt to modern technology to improve agriculture.
He asserted that the youth constitute the bigger percentage in our economy in terms of population and therefore, they need to take advantage of the initiative and the opportunity to be able to expand and grow and get the needed benefits after the training.
Miss. Harriet Donkoh is one of the supporting partners from the Swiss State Secretariat discloses that Switzerland through Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), has been a dedicated partner in Ghana’s economic development for several years. Its programs in Agriculture, Access to Finance, and other initiatives have positively impacted numerous lives.
She said the cooperation between Switzerland and the Government of Ghana aims to promote favorable conditions for sustainable growth, leading to the creation of more and better jobs and improved 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 Broad Spectrum” she added.
According to her, 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.
“As we stand at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, it is imperative to recognize how digital tools can revolutionize agriculture, ensuring sustainability, profitability, and food security for generations to come.
This priority stems from our belief the agricultural sector is the bedrock of the economy, and by empowering support organizations with digital tools, we can drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainability”, she indicated.
Mis. Donkoh said agricultural enterprise support organizations play a vital role in providing farmers with the resources, knowledge, and assistance they need to thrive. However, these organizations face numerous challenges, including limited resources, logistical constraints, and the need to stay up-to-date with rapidly evolving agricultural practices.
Recognizing these challenges, we jointly aim to address some of them by leveraging on the use of digital technologies to support ESOs to deliver services more effectively and also reach a broader audience.
She therefore reveals that by partnering with AfDB on this program, Switzerland reaffirms its commitment to advancing agricultural development in Ghana. We count on the participants to exhibit a sense of humility to obtain the necessary transformation through the training.
A participant from the Resource Foundation in the Western North Region of Ghana, Sefwi Wiaso and Juaboso, Mis. Ellen Amoakoh said since they deal directly with the farmers, the training will build their capacity to help the farmers in Agritech programs.
He therefore said if they undergo this training, doing business will be a technology motivated one and will also run their business smoothly without any fear.
Mr. Gustavus Owiredu who is a farmer and the 2018 national best Chief Farmer said Ghanaian farmers produce huge range of produce but due to the activities of middle men, they do not benefit from their yield. he said.
