GIZ and Israel supports Ghanaian farmers

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Wpid Agricultural Experts
Giz And Israel Supports Ghanaian Farmers

Agricultural Experts

Israeli agricultural experts with some citrus farmers during last year?s training.

Citrus farmers and technical officers of the Ministry of Food & Agriculture (MoFA) drawn from the Eastern and Ashanti regions are expected to undergo a two-week training to enhance their capacity.

Jointly organised by MASHAV, the Israeli Agency of International Development Cooperation, German GIZ and the Ministry of Food & Agriculture (MoFA), the workshop is intended to revitalize the citrus industry through interventions that will attract investments into fruit processing facilities and ultimately generate higher income levels for the citrus growers.

Two Israeli citrus experts, Dr. Shmuel Gross (entomologist) and Dubi Raber (agronomist), who will be facilitating the programme, were in Ghana last year to undertake a similar training with selected citrus farmers and MoFA staff.

Last year, about 100 citrus farmers in the Western and Ashanti regions were taken through similar training to increase their knowledge in best practices.

This year?s participants will be taken through topics such as nursery management, planning citrus orchard, cultural practices and factors militating against citrus production, irrigation and nutrition.

The training is expected to contribute to improved quality citrus production for improved sustainable income to all actors within the citrus value chain and empower citrus farmers across the country.

Israeli Ambassador, Sharon Bar-li, remarked that ?Israel?s agricultural abilities have grown considerably since the Jaffa Oranges became famous around the world.

It is only natural that we accept the request of our friends at MoFA.  Agriculture is the backbone of Ghana?s economy and we are especially pleased to be contributing into making it a little sturdier.?

According to GIZ, the Citrus Trilateral Cooperation was contributing to resolving challenges relating to productivity levels in the citrus industry.

The Director of Crop Services at MoFA, Emmanuel Asante-Krobea, noted that the Government of Ghana was grateful for the support being provided by the German and Israeli governments under the trilateral cooperation to improve the citrus industry.

Ghana?s citrus yield currently stands at 20-25 tonnes per hectare as against an industry average of 70-80 tonnes per hectare in Israel.

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