International guidelines take aim at illegal fishing - (FAO,UN.)

Courtesy Ghana Business News

After several years of negotiations, countries have taken a major step against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), one of the greatest threats to sustainable fisheries and related livelihoods.

International guidelines developed through an FAO-led consultative process aim to cut down on IUU fishing by improving the accountability of flag states - those countries which register fishing vessels and authorize them to fly their flags.

The Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance were agreed upon after over five years of consensus-building among FAO Member Countries. The guidelines will be presented to the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) for endorsement at its next Session in June, 2014.

The guidelines include recommended approaches to encourage and help flag states comply with their international duties and obligations regarding the flagging and control of fishing vessels. They also present possible actions in response to non-compliance. >>> more

Outgoing Agric Minister changes his tune

Mahama (L) and Ahwoi(R).

Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, previous Minister in charge of Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) dramatically changed his tune when he handed the reins over to Hon. Kofi Humado.

In his handover speech he charged Hon. Humado to “minimise if not eliminate the importation of rice and to reduce import of livestock products by 40 percent … in the next four years of his leadership.”

It will be remembered that Mr. Ahwoi made two very specific promises during his reign as Minister in charge of MOFA. >>> more

President Outlines Vision For Ghana’s Agriculture

President John Dramani Mahama has delivered his maiden State of the Nation’s address to the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

The address is in line with Article 67 of the Constitution, which mandates the President, at the beginning of each session of Parliament, deliver a message on State of the Nation. Below is what the President said on the Country’s Agricultural Development.

“Mr. Speaker, all of our accelerated development efforts have been geared towards giving special advantage to accelerated agricultural and aquaculture development through Modernization.

The process of modernization, involving the use of improved seed varieties, greater access to tractor services and training of peasant and small holder farmers on productivity enhancements, has resulted in dramatic increases in maize, rice and cassava production in the last four years. >>> more

Battle for FIsh

Every year,during the lent season, fish is the hottest commodity in many European countries. This has created what has popularly become the Battle for Fish which is led by major shipping companies which ply the West African route. Since many African countries do not have sea patrols to control trawling in their territories, many developed countries are using especially the north-west African coasts as their main territories.

According to the United Nations, up to 90 percent of fishing done in the West Africa is not run by local boats. The EU for several years has contributed to this huge devastating complicity. Every year EU countries fish from the waters of Senegal or Mauritania tons of tuna, mackerel or sardines. Each of the super trawler pulls 300 tons (273 kilogram) of fish on board - daily.

A documentary by Greenpeace reveals the devastating effect of these super-trawlers which ply the west african waters regularly. (documentary is in German)

Trade Barriers Thwart African Food Production, Warns World Bank

Development experts say large regional markets could boost Africa’s food production and improve efficiency by providing economies of scale.

But a number of trade barriers and restrictions are holding that dream in check.  They keep the cost of food high for consumers and the price of yield-boosting fertilizers and seeds beyond the reach of small farmers.  The World Bank says among those worse affected are landlocked countries like Burundi, Malawi, Zambia and Uganda, where prices may be 20 times higher than coastal states. >>> more

What can be expected from the new food and agricultural chief?

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in Ghana will be headed by a new chief or Minister, Clement Kofi Humado, and the question on the mind of interested parties is what changes he will introduce or whether it will be business as usual.

Clement Kofi Humado is the Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency in Ghana and was also the Minister for Youth and Sports in Ghana prior to his new appointment.

During the vetting sessions in Parliament Mr. Humado gave some indications, as reported in the media, of his focus or priorities for the food and agricultural sector.

Firstly he advocated the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) in commercial farming to boost the country’s food security. >>> more

Ghana among countries improving business regulations for local firms - World Bank

A new report has observed that most African economies are making consistent progress in improving business regulations.

The World Bank-IFC report released October 23, 2012 finds that of the 50 economies making the most improvement in business regulation for domestic firms since 2005, 17 are in sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana was included in the list despite slipping to 64th position in the global doing business rankings.>>>more

Ghana Gold Rush: Jungle Gold and Illegalities.

It is very sad watching this discovery on the Discovery channel.The Ghanaian citizens are living in abject poverty.Politicians sit in Accra talking gibberish while illegal miners take over gold lands.Government leases gold lands to foreigners to mine gold while citizens do not have a place to live,water to drink,jobs to do,etc.People are flying in from America to mine gold.Sorry state of our collective mindset and a real shame!>>>more

World Food Day 2012: Agricultural cooperatives – Key to feeding the world

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates World Food Day each year on 16 October, the day on which the Organization was founded in 1945.

The objectives of World Food Day are to:

• encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental efforts to this end;
• encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries;
• encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions;
• heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world;
• promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world; and
• strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development. >>> more

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

Food Security ; Ghana To receive $600 million

Ghana will receive $600 million from the Group of 8 (G8) for the implementation of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.

The new alliance announced by President Obama at the May 18, 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David, is a shared commitment by the G-8 nations, African countries and private sector partners to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through inclusive government.

A Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Nii Amassah Namoale, said at the launch of the New Alliance in Ghana in Accra Wednesday, that Ghana’s selection alongside the other two African countries was as a result of its impressive economic growth and poverty reduction performance over the years.>> continue>>

Access to water key for food security: FAO chief

FAO director-general Jose Graziano Da Silva 

STOCKHOLM — Global food security starts with ensuring access to water, the head of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said at the beginning of World Water Week Monday.

"There is no food security without water security," said FAO director-general Jose Graziano Da Silva in Sweden, which is hosting the annual event organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).

With crop growing hampered by the effects of pollution and climate change, agriculture must become "more efficient and fairer", he said, adding that nations all over the world need to "produce more with less" and manage water resources well.

The conference, whose theme is water and food security, also heard from Swedish Cooperation Minister Gunilla Carlsson who urged the business world to find fresh ideas and new partners to help improve food security.>>more

Ghana: Food Security, Climate Change and Global Resource Scarcity

Global demand for food will double in coming decades, through population growth and rising levels of consumption. Ensuring the planet produces enough food for all in a sustainable way will be a real challenge, and climate change will hamper our efforts if it is not tackled.

Food security is crucial to helping the poorest countries help themselves out of poverty. This is why the United Kingdom is leading on making food security an issue that is discussed at a global level. Starting at the upcoming G-8 summit, we will help launch a new alliance to lift 50 million out of poverty over the next ten years, using private sector investment to help people achieve the food security we all take for granted in the U.K.

For nearly 50 years, there were grain mountains in Europe and North America, with prices at historic lows. Yet hundreds of millions of people still faced chronic hunger and malnourishment, which blighted generation after generation of children. One in three Africans still go hungry today, in a world of plenty, so it is vital we help the poorest people access the food that is available.>>>more

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Trade Liberalization

My Take : The CAP which subtly underlines European trade with other developing countries like Ghana is the main course of trade imbalance and the primary reason why Ghana must beware of the Economic Partnership Agreement.Whiles EU seeks access to african markets at lower costs for their produce,they reciprocate these with many blockages to disallow access from other developing countries..

The CAP is a form of protectionism designed to defend European producers from cheaper products outside the EU. This was once done by subsidising agricultural produce but is now achieved by the EU deterring imports from outside the EU with a system of import tariffs and simultaneously subsidising farmers through the Single Farm Payment. >>> more