UN meet in Rome to debate easing global food prices

ROME (AFP) - The international community is gathering in Italy for World Food Day on Tuesday with a round of UN-hosted talks on how to keep global food prices in check and help prevent future commodity market crises.

"Food prices are too volatile and are dangerously high," Olivier De Schutter, the UN's rapporteur on the right to food, said ahead of the meeting.

De Schutter called for "immediate" action to help stabilise prices.

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations is holding a week-long meeting of the Committee on World Food Security, which is made up of UN officials, farming experts and civil society representatives.

The latest UN data from earlier this month shows some 870 million people -- around one in eight people in the world -- are starving or under-nourished. >>>more

Farmers want swift implementation of policies to reduce cost

Farmers in Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana are demanding swift implementation of policies to reduce the cost of doing business in their regions. 

Their plea comes on a day when Ghana joins the globe to observe World Food Day. Some farmers say they are still dependent on weather to grow their crops and are suffering serious post-harvest losses. 

This year’s Food Day celebration focuses on how agricultural cooperatives and producer organizations can help provide food security, generate employment, and reduce poverty.

In the Builsa District, one of the rice baskets of the Upper East region, farmers are preparing to harvest their produce. >>>more

Curbing food security : Agricultural Industrialization

The most authentic means of aid to Ghana or Africa must be in such a form devoid of the usual politics or a minimal political influence.Honestly,money given is always lopsided to those in higher positions. What must be done? Creating long-lasting solutions should be the bottle-neck even if its hard and difficult.Teaching local farmers the need for tractors and assisting them in the process to  secure some basic equipments is most relevant.

In the 21st century,most farmers in Ghana and Africa still use cutlasses and hoes for work.How many acres and how many days will they have to toil to produce two acres of corn/maize?

In the videos below,Mr. Balle and his friends from Denmark did the most important thing by building a farm in Ghana with the assistance from local workers.You can imagine what a few tractors and harvesters can do in few days. This is the path Ghana and Africa must take,to gradually produce enough to ensure food security.

The current record of 52% work force in agriculture producing about 25% of what the country really needs is wrong.

Ghana begins Genetically Modified testing

Confined Field Trial (CFT) of three genetically modified crops may start next year, according to Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Ibrahim Kwasi Atokple.

Scientists at various Institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research are expecting permits from the National Biosafety Committee to enable them proceed with the evaluations.
Seeds for genetically modified rice, cowpea and sweet potatoes are to be tested for essential traits that will enhance crop production in the country.

With on-going global debates over the health implications of genetically modified organisms, parliament recently passed The Biosafety Act of 2011 (Act 831) to legalise importation and research into GMOs. Ghana now joins countries like South Africa, Burkina Faso, Egypt and Kenya which are already producing and importing GMOs on the continent .>>> continue

Trade War : Huawei and ZTE

The Intelligence Committee of the US House of Representatives has issued the long awaited report into Huawei and ZTE's activities and has concluded that the two pose a threat to US national security. ...

The UK government is however reported to have declared it would stand by Huawei in spite of the US’s position, but take the necessary steps to protect the country.>>>  more

My take : the continuous attacks on sovereign countries and their companies is getting extremely absurd. 

Subsequently another report reveals how both US and China are complicit! >>> more

Yet another correspondence from bbc proves contradictory.It may seem as an intentional track for US house representatives.>>>more

Ghana : Election 2012 and Manifestos for Food Security

In December 2012 Ghanaians will go to the polls to choose a government that they believe will improve their lives. The political campaigns are in full swing and both the main parties, the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP), have recently released their Manifestos.

Food Security is a major global and national concern, and the question is to what extent this issue has been addressed by the parties and what “weight” the subject received in the prospective Manifestos.

Food Security Ghana (FSG) reviewed the Manifestos of both the NDC and NPP to get an idea of what the parties have to offer in terms of food security for Ghanaians. >>>continue >>

Ghana : Beware of the Economic Partnership Agreements.

Mr Tetteh Hormeku, Head of Programmes, Third World Network - Ghana, has urged African governments to be wary of the European Union's agenda to perpetuate and deepen liberalization through the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). >>>  more

Is the EPA really a beneficial agreement?

The truth is that the EPAs are not as much about the interests of sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean or the Pacific countries as it is about Europe becoming more economically competitive. The EPAs are about finding market for European products, having access to cheaper raw materials from Africa and being able to compete with China, India and recently Brazil in the African market. >>> more

Is EPA safe?

On December 13, 2007, the European Commission initialized a stepping stone, Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) with Ghana. The agreement according to them will enable Ghana to benefit significantly from improved market access to the European Union.  >>>more