By Ernest Bako WUBONTO
The Centre for Promotion of Imports (CBI) Ghana Dried Fruit project, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continues to build farmers’ capacity in the fruit production sector for export opportunities.
In a new initiative to broaden the dried fruit producers’ understanding of financial institutions’ operation and building a bankable profile, 60 fruit sector companies in the selected areas – mainly mango, pineapple and coconut – and 15 financial institutions gathered in Accra to deliberate on sustainable financing solutions for Ghana’s fruit sector.
The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to explore innovative investment mechanisms as well as financial accessibility tools for dried fruit producers, processors and exporters. The discussions highlighted a pressing need for sector-specific financial products as well as strategic partnerships to drive long-term development.
Managing Partner-Knox Consulting Limited, Sheila Assibey-Yeboah, emphasised the importance of tailored financial solutions in unlocking the sector’s full potential as commercial lending structures for trading businesses do not accommodate agriculture value chain players.
“Access to sustainable financing remains a crucial challenge for agribusinesses in Ghana and the dried fruit sector is no exception. By fostering stronger collaboration between financial institutions and industry players, we can develop tailor-made financial products suitable for promoting growth and resilience in the sector,” she said.
Representing the Netherlands Embassy, Saar Hoek-Economic Affairs Department, indicated that moving from aid to trade the Netherlands government finds the horticulture and cocoa sectors viable for investment and has been supporting their development over the years for mutual trade benefits.
“The last few years, our embassy has been active in the horticulture sector of Ghana and we have been impressed by the amount of innovation, perseverance and entrepreneurship we have seen in this short timeframe, which though small keeps expanding,” she said.
She added that the Netherlands government’s goal is to support and encourage a self-sufficient value chain wherein farmers are well-equipped to innovate, expand and improve their practices while, on the other hand, investors and companies can arrive and provide a soft landing.
Managing Director-GKV Investment Limited and National Best Agro-Processor at the 36th National Farmers’ Day, Kojo Nunoo, reiterated the urgent need for policy reforms and investment-friendly initiatives to support the sector.
He explained the sector’s profitable nature and called for support from all stakeholders, including government, for a resilient transformation in financing.
In a presentation, Chief Operating Officer-Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL), Samuel Yeboah, showcased GIRSAL’s framework for supporting agribusinesses through participating financial institutions.
He invited the fruit sector to take advantage of this opportunity and boost their business activities – reaffirming the commitment to support the fruit sector and make it buoyant and attractive for youth and women.
The meeting offered an exceptional experience, hope for improved financial access and a collaborative effort to drive the fruit sector and create employment opportunities for youth and women in Ghana.
The CBI Ghana Dried Fruits project seeks to contribute in the processed fruit sub-sector’s aim of generating decent employment opportunities for youth by establishing a Community of Practice (CoP) with interested small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to gain a foothold in the European Union (EU) market. In addition, the project supports facilitating partnerships among sector actors, especially financial institutions.
