The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) in collaboration with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GNCCI) held a Business to Business (B2B) meeting focused on driving growth in the agricultural sector.
The event brought together Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and
Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), along with stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, to discuss ways to bolster Ghana’s agricultural sector and its value chains in response to recent economic changes.
Speaking to participants, the Centre’s Director of Investor Services, Mr Edward Ashong-Lartey noted that the need for value-chain services, typically in the Agricultural sector, has increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted value-chains and impacted businesses negatively.
Due to this, he opined that many investment promotion agencies have stepped in to help foreign businesses and multinationals adapt to these new circumstances.
According to him, the current climate has significantly affected small-to-medium business operators as well. Therefore, a good way to support MSMEs and harness their potential will be to “… integrate them into global or regional value chains.”
He noted that while most value-chain analysis is performed by these companies themselves; the GIPC can help accelerate the process by matching foreign affiliates with local suppliers.
He added that “one of the key things that GIPC does is fostering linkages; from joint-venture partners to identifying people who can provide the needed services”.
Mr Ashong-Lartey expressed optimism that the B2B meeting will facilitate meaningful
interactions between MSMEs and multinationals and create a pathway for mutually
beneficial economic ties.
He then concluded by encouraging enterprises (both foreign and local) to reach out to GIPC’s Aftercare team to resolve their post-establishment issues.
Taking her turn, the Head of Marketing at the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Mrs Grace Dzeble, mentioned that her outfit was focused on fostering partnerships for businesses within the country.
This, according to her, was necessary to trade effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“…We have to do this so that when the bigger African market is fully opened, we will be able to build on the synergies, to satisfy the [huge] regional demand” she said.
Mrs Dzeble added that “…the [GNCCI] has been keen on building the capacity of businesses in Ghana, to prepare them for the bigger picture of the African market.”
She opined that the B2B meeting was crucial for relevant stakeholders to network to connect the subsidiary value-chains. She therefore encouraged foreign businesses present at the occasion to form partnerships with the local MSMEs as they provide great linkages, which they can leverage to boost their operations.
Subsequently, participants were given the opportunity to pitch their businesses, setting the stage for potential collaborations. The event then dovetailed into a networking session, to allow businesses to interact with each other, and create the required connections to move their companies forward.
