News
IFDC marks Golden Jubilee with open door event
Dr Bocar Diagana (inset) speaking at the event
Photo: Godwin Ofosu Acheampong
The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) has held its 2024 open door event in Accra to mark the 50th anniversary of the centre.
The event showcased IFDC’s innovative technologies in support of Ghana’s agricultural agenda and also sought to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
It is celebrated under the theme “50 years of developing agriculture from the ground up.”
The Director-in-charge of Enabling Impact Programmes at IFDC, Dr Bocar Diagana said, his outfit was 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 agricultural sector.
He said the centre was committed to supporting the agricultural transformation agenda in Ghana and across the continent, adding that “our mission is rooted in empowering farmers, enhancing soil fertility, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring food security for all.”
He mentioned that, IFDC was currently implementing four projects in the country which includes 2SCALE, a programme that incubates and accelerates inclusive business through partnerships with companies, the Fertilizer Research and Responsible Implementation( FERARI), a public-private programme that integrates an on-the-ground implementation programme to develop the fertilizer value chain with trans-disciplinary research.
Also, the IFDC, Dr Diagana said, had implemented the feed the future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agricultural Input Systems (EnGRAIS) project which aims to increase the availability and use of fertilizers for smallholder farmers, focusing on women and the youth.
The final project, according to Dr Diagana was the AfricaFertilizer initiative, a premier source for fertilizer statistics in Africa.
The Global Corporate Communications Manager, Mr James Thigpen said the centre had reached nearly 150 countries with new technologies, trainings and pro-agriculture policies while researching and developing more than 50 innovations in soil health, research, nutrient delivery and market access.
The Vice President of Programmes, Dr Oumou Camara said in order to address agricultural challenges regarding fertilizer and soil health, there was the need for collaboration to develop and deploy innovative tools and technologies to improve the capacity of the soil to produce food.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
