By Sandra Agyeiwaa OTOO
The Director of the International Fertilizer Development Center’s (IFDC) Enabling Impact Programme, Dr. Bocar Diagana, has reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to driving agricultural transformation across Ghana and the wider African continent.
He made this statement at the just-ended IFDC 2024 Open Door and IFDC global 50th anniversary launch, under the theme ‘50 Years of Developing Agriculture from the Ground’, as part of the agenda to strengthen IFDC’s valuable partnerships with key national agricultural stakeholders.
“IFDC is deeply committed to supporting the agricultural transformation agenda in Ghana and across the African continent. Our mission is rooted in empowering farmers, enhancing soil fertility, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and ensuring food security for all. Through the four pillars of our global strategy, we sink our roots into our expertise in researching & developing appropriate technologies, soil health & farm productivity, market and food system development, and creating an enabling environment for impact. In all this, we aim to catalyse positive change and drive inclusive growth in the agricultural sector,” he stated.
According to him, IFDC intends to address the numerous issues encountered by smallholder farmers through strategic partnerships, and a focus on improving the agricultural value chain.
“We are all conversant with the challenges confronting agricultural value chain actors, especially the smallholder farmer. From the global level, climate challenges continue to worsen. Global political and economic crises plague agricultural value chains. At the regional level, we can mention lack of appropriate technologies, expensive yet low-quality agricultural inputs, lack of synergies and valuable collaborations, just to name a few.”
However, Dr. Diagana believes that within these challenges lie opportunities for innovation, collaboration and progress; and that it is critical that we leverage the collective expertise and resources of all global and national partners, including the private sector and farmers, to effectively address these challenges.
He urged all agricultural stakeholders to use their collective strengths, knowledge and resources to overcome challenges, grasp opportunities and create a better future for farmers, communities and the country as a whole.
“I am confident that through our collective efforts and unwavering commitment, we can realise the full potential of agriculture as a catalyst for sustainable development and prosperity in Ghana. Together, let us embark on this journey with renewed vigour, determination and unity of purpose,” he added.
The Vice President of Programmes for the International Fertiliser Development Center (IFDC), who doubles as the Regional Director of North and West Africa, Dr. Oumou Camara, emphasises the organisation’s focus on soil health and smallholder farmer empowerment to address global food security challenges, adding that collaboration with strategic partners is critical to building local capacity and ensuring long-term impact.
“At IFDC, we believe the key to global food security starts with the soil, so we strive to develop better fertiliser and production technologies, transfer these improved technologies to smallholder farmers, and connect these farmers to efficient and profitable markets. By working with strategic partners, we build local capacity and ensure sustainable impact to help our smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods,” she mentioned.
“IFDC interventions in Ghana aim to significantly boost the production of higher quality food by eliminating waste and losses of agricultural water, land, seeds and fertilisers. Additionally, IFDC promotes climate-smart and resilient farming systems and technologies among smallholder farmers to reduce the adverse environmental impacts associated with agricultural productivity,” she added.
