Private Sector Firms Take the Lead on Technology Transfer in Ghana

Feed the Future strives to bring critical agricultural technologies and best practices to smallholder farmers around the world. But to scale up these interventions, U.S. Government programs must enlist partners in other countries and sectors to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of these potentially life-changing technologies.

That’s why Feed the Future is partnering with Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture and 16 major input suppliers and processors to establish 180 demonstration sites for maize, rice and soybean crops this year in northern Ghana. Smallholder farmers need both better access to and knowledge of agricultural inputs and methods in order to increase their productivity, and these private sector-supported demonstration sites will expand rural access to inputs while promoting innovations and good agricultural practices.

As part of the program, the private sector firms are contributing seed, fertilizer, herbicides and inoculants, while nearly 100 nucleus farmers who contract agricultural work to outgrowers will clear and manage the land for the demonstration plots and ensure the farmers theycontract with learn and adopt appropriate technologies and management practices to increase yields and crop sales.

Through this collaboration, private sector firms are able to promote their technology products to farmers, increase sales and receive feedback for improved product design and distribution, establishing links to new customers in rural areas.

“We are ready to support any number of demonstrations and to collaborate with Feed the Future through radio programs to reach out and share these technologies with more farmers,” says Boaz Yagel, commercial manager of Dizengoff Ghana, one of the collaborating firms.

By facilitating private sector engagement with the most remote smallholder farmers, Feed the Future is supporting the growth of Ghana’s agriculture sector while helping to create the conditions for long-term market opportunities.