The 7th Annual Pre-harvest Agribusiness event has been held in Tamale to build business relationships around the upcoming 2017 maize, rice and soybean harvest season.

The event brought together over 1,000 agribusiness stakeholders across the country to network and learn more about the latest technological advances in agriculture in a bid to draw private sector investment and encourage the sustainable growth of agribusinesses in the country.

It also served as a platform to rally agribusiness stakeholders and the private sector to forge partnerships and make strategic investments to spur economic growth.

The event featured business to business sessions as well as an exhibition, showcasing improved agricultural equipment, inputs and services whiles participants shared lessons learned and identified opportunities and challenges within the sector.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Initiative, in collaboration with the Government of Ghana and Agri-House Foundation, organized the event.

Ms Jenna Tajchman, USAID/Ghana Agriculture Team Leader, who spoke during the opening of the event on Thursday, said the Feed the Future programme was aimed at expanding economic opportunities and boost agricultural productivity adding “over 85,000 individuals applied improved technologies and practices on over 72,600 hectares of land”.

She said “the application of these improved technologies combined with training and marketing assistance led to beneficiary farmers selling produce valued at over $120 million following the 2016 growing season.”

She said “now is the time to sustain this momentum and continue making investments that ensure Ghana’s progress, especially as Ghana advances the Beyond Aid Agenda.”

Dr Sagre Bambangi, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in-charge of Annual Crops, said government adopted the value chain approach to agriculture to stimulate investments in the sector for improved incomes for farmers.

Mr Salifu Saeed, Northern Regional Minister, commended USAID for its immense investments in the country’s agricultural sector, which was in line with government’s programme to revamp the sector.