Climate issues, global political and economic crises have severely plagued agricultural value chains, the Director, of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) Enabling Impact Programme, Dr Bocar Diagana, has said.
He explained that at the regional level, the lack of appropriate technologies, expensive yet low-quality agricultural inputs, and lack of synergies and valuable collaborations, also face especially smallholder farmers.
However, he added, within these challenges lie opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and progress.
“It is imperative that we harness the collective expertise and resources of all our global and national partners, including the private sector and farmers, to address these challenges effectively,” she said at the IFDC 2024 open door & IFDC global 50th anniversary launch on Thursday February 15.
At IFDC, he further stated, they are dedicated to promoting relevant technologies, soil fertility management, crop productivity, agricultural value chains, market information systems, and supportive policy on both public and private sector development in the agriculture sector. We use strong partnerships to provide solutions and make our expertise available to advance the agriculture value chain, anywhere we work.
In addition, he said IFDC is deeply committed to supporting the agricultural transformation agenda in Ghana and across the African continent.
“Our mission is rooted in empowering farmers, enhancing soil fertility, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and ensuring food security for all. Through the four pillars of our global strategy, we sink our roots into our expertise in researching & developing appropriate technologies, soil health & farm productivity, market, and food systems development, and creating an enabling environment for impact. In all this, we aim to catalyze positive change and drive inclusive growth in the agricultural sector.
“I urge each one of us gathered here today to embrace the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity as we work towards our shared goal of agricultural transformation in Ghana. Let us leverage our collective strengths, knowledge, and resources to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and build a brighter future for our farmers, communities, and the country Ghana.
“In conclusion, I am confident that through our collective efforts and unwavering commitment, we can realize the full potential of agriculture as a catalyst for sustainable development and prosperity in Ghana. Together, let us embark on this journey with renewed vigour, determination, and unity of purpose,” he said.
He expressed IFDC’s commitment to developing and deploying technologies that will improve the capacity of the soil to ensure food security.
“IFDC is committed to positively impacting Ghanaian agriculture value chain stakeholders by collaborating and building a stronger force to address the challenges confronting farmers, so we can continue to promote food and nutrition security and help improve the livelihoods of our farmers. As we celebrate IFDC’s 50th Anniversary this year, our vision has remained the same with a renewed focus on caring for the soil. We do not intend to just commemorate the past but use our fine and rich expertise and accumulated experience to care for soils for the next 50 years.”
iFDC, an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to spread sustainable agricultural solutions for soil health, food security, and improved livelihoods around the world, is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year with the theme: 50 Years of Developing Agriculture from the Ground Up. Over the past 50 years, in partnership with strategic stakeholders at the global, continental, and national levels, we have accomplished great strides through the development and deployment of various technologies and tools.
IFDC has been working in Ghana since 2002 with strategic partners, especially the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to promote agricultural productivity.
IFDC has supported the development and deployment of innovative fertilizer data access tools, including the Ghana Fertilizer Dashboard, which was developed by the organization’s AfricaFertilizer initiative, in cooperation with Development Gateway, an IREX Venture, with funding from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In addition, at the request of the Government of Ghana, our Fertilizer Research and Responsible Implementation (FERARI) project established the Fertilizer Platform Ghana to unite stakeholders to address the challenges in the fertilizer and soil health sector.
IFDC’s long valuable partnership with the Government of Ghana, through its Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has received a boost to promote agriculture in Ghana. On September 29, 2023, the two parties strengthened their working relationship by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. The refreshed partnership will benefit hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers across the country. The partnership aims to help farmers increase their agricultural productivity and income.
In the past year, IFDC invested more than 22 million Ghana Cedis in the country through the implementation of our various projects, impacting the lives of our farmers and other stakeholders.
The Acting Country Director for IFDC Ghana, Judith Fagbegnon Kodjo, expressed her appreciation to the government for its unfailing support.
“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to our donors of our projects and programs: DGIS and USAID. Thank you for your continued trust that enables us to get this far. I would also particularly like to thank the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for their unfailing support.”