WeComm Agri-Media & Consultancy has held the first edition (cohort) of its flagship programme, ‘INSPIRE by WeComm’, drawing participation from several professionals including bankers.
The patrons – who were participants of GIRSAL’s Agriculture and Agribusiness Lending Course for Staff of Financial Institutions – were hosted at the factory of Evivi Foods, producers of Evivi Rice and chicken, in Akuse where they were taken through the realities of Ghana’s agriculture, and what it takes for one to succeed in the sector by specialists from NewAge Agric Solutions limited, the project’s technical partners.
As per the goal of the ‘INSPIRE by WeComm project’, They were taken through the processes involved in producing Evivi Foods’ Evivi rice and Happy chicken – two products that have dominated the Ghanaian food market since their introductions. The participants were left awestruck by the impressive food processing factory put up by the company.
Speaking on potential partnerships between Newage Agric Solutions Limited, and other development partners at a session, Business Development Manager of Newage Agric Solutions, Asare Ohene Bediako, emphasized the transformative potential of having GIRSAL bring some of the stakeholders in the agriculture sector to witness at first hand the level of real transformation happening in the sector.
“GIRSAL decided to bring the banker’s to our site to take them through some processes along the agriculture value chain. We have shown them the processes involved in rice milling and agricultural practices in general. This was done to bridge the gap between the banks and agriculture sector players”, he said.
According to him, he believes ‘INSPIRE by WeComm’ will help change the narrative some people, including some of the participants, have about the agriculture sector before coming for the cohort. “I believe this will changer a lot of myths and perceptions some of them had about the agric sector in Ghana before coming to our factory,” Asare-Bediako stressed.
The agriculture sector which employs a significant portion of Ghana’s population and contributing meaningfully to the country’s GDP is facing major challenges including access to good roads. But there seem to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Chief Executive of Millennium Development Authority, Alex Mould who joined the participants to tour the milling facility of Evivi Foods, pledged government’s commitment to addressing the problems facing the sector to enable companies like Newage Agriculture Solutions Limited to keep growing, and doing the extraordinary things he had come to witness at the site.
The ‘INSPIRE by WeComm’ project, sponsored by Newage Agric Solutions Limited and Evivi Foods, is a flagship experiential learning initiative developed to provide agriculture enthusiasts, young people, and corporate participants with an immersive glimpse into Ghana’s dynamic agricultural sector. The program, according to organisers will be divided into ‘Cohorts’, and will take place at Evivi Foods in Akuse and many other exciting locations.
