Accra, July 17, GNA - Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, the Head of the Government's Economic Team, on Thursday called on various organisations to commit more resources into agricultural research to transform raw materials into profitable products.

He has, therefore, urged financial and research institutions to review their corporate plans to favour Ghana's agricultural revolution. Mr Mensah, who is also the Senior Minister, was speaking at the launch of the Second Ghana International Agriculture Fair in Accra. The Fair, to be organised jointly by the Ghana International Trade Fair Company (GITFC) and the Agriculture Ministry is slated for November this year.

Over 100 local and foreign companies and exhibitors are expected to take part in the Fair, which is under the theme: "Processing and Packaging Ghana's Rich Agriculture Products for Domestic Food Security and Export."

Citing Zambia's resourcefulness in the processing and packaging of maize meal being sold in the shops, the Senior Minister, said Ghana had to venture into processing its local produce such as corn to ease the burden of many women, who toiled for hours on end to prepare a meal. He said agriculture needed to be transformed to develop the economy and sustain industrial growth with a Private Sector led economy. Mr Mensah touched on poor packaging and labelling of products and the continuous use of old technologies by farmers, especially women and called for improvement in the Sector.

Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture, noted that in spite of the enormous resources of the country it was still grappling with food security, describing it as a "precarious situation". He said about 30 per cent of food produced in the country went to waste because of the many problems encountered from the farm to the consumer. He said the Fair would showcase products from all the regions including different dishes from all over the country, adding that imported rice would not be allowed at the Fair.

Miss Esther Ofori, Chief Executive of the GITFC, said Burkina Faso, Libya and India are among countries expected to take part in the Fair.