Ensuring agribusiness thrives
It is generally agreed that, agribusiness is the key to stemming the growing unemployment situation in the country. The truism in that accession lies in the fact that Ghana is an agrarian country with vast agriculturally potential fertile land, which is heavily patronized by both smallholder and commercial farmers.
However, the area that is yet to gain traction is the business side of agriculture – the valueadded activities, which hold the potential for a faster growth of the sector.
It is to capitalize on this, almost virgin area that Ghana seeks to tap from the highly sophisticated agricultural sector of the Nebraska State in the United States to leapfrog the agribusiness sector. Known for its high technology in agriculture in general and agribusiness especially, Nebraska comes handy in Ghana’s quest to scout for best practice in that sector.
GNEBCHAM
This has led to the birth of the Ghana-Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations Chamber (GNEBCHAM) with the goal of promoting agribusiness growth and trade between the Republic of Ghana and the State of Nebraska, in the United States.
Scheduled to be officially outdoored in Accra in June 2024, the chamber has the mission to specifically facilitate mutual resource, skill, and knowledge exchanges to enhance trade, export and food production in all areas of agriculture between the partners, and for international market opportunities.
Establishing the chamber is with the belief that by fostering collaboration and partnerships between Ghanaian and Nebraskan agribusinesses, we can create a sustainable and prosperous future for both regions.
The chamber is committed to facilitate networking opportunities between Ghanaian and Nebraskan agribusinesses to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing, provide access to resources and expertise that will help agribusinesses in both regions improve their production and trade capabilities as well as advocate for policies that support the growth of agribusiness and trade between Ghana and Nebraska.
Riding on the back of the leading Ghanaianbased non-governmental agricultural social impact, capacity building, innovation, trade, interventions and project management organization, Agrihouse Foundation with equal commitment from Nebraskan legislator Senator Ken Schilz, the chamber will have a special focus on developing agribusiness relations, trade and investment opportunities. It will largely focus on facilitating opportunities, strengthening markets and partnerships in areas of Education, research, Finance, IT, machinery, equipment, Crops and Livestock sectors respectively.
The Chamber will also focus on changing perceptions and consciously shape the conversa- tion on agribusiness.
COMMITTEES
While official preparation for the launch is underway, being marshalled by a 14-member interim Executive Board led by a multi-talented Consulting, Financial advisory and transformational Coach, Doris Ahiati and Cecil SunkwaMills, the chamber will undertake an aggressive membership mobilization drive.
Currently, the 14-member interim board has set up various committees to ensure that the foundation is solidly laid for, the take off the chamber. In so doing, committees have been set up and members shared on the various committees, depending on each’s professional strength to bring their expertise to bear on the chamber.
The chamber currently has two Executive Directors – Alberta Nana Akosa and Senator Ken Schilz running the daily affairs in Ghana and Nebraska respectively.
Membership of the chamber is opened to Corporate bodies, Agribusinesses, Academic and research institutions, Government agencies, small and medium enterprises, individuals and students in the area of agriculture and agribusinesses and allied fields, who will be required to pay annual dues depending on the category a member finds itself.
By becoming a member of GNEBCHAM, one gains access to an array of benefits designed to enhance business success such as trade activities, business matchmakings, networking opportunities, education, exchange programmes, marketing, and promotion opportunities and also get to be a part of building an innovative state of the art farm center.
Additional Membership benefits
For instance, members, depending on membership category, has the opportunity to participate in the annual Husker Harvest Days in Nebraska. This year’s event takes place in September and interested institutions; individuals can start registering.
Register for the annual Husker Harvest Days and participate in Top-notch Trade and Business sessions, where stakeholders in the agricultural value-chain showcase and present their businesses and ideas, to establish trade and or investment partnerships.
Participants also engage policy makers, network, share best practices, hold business-tobusiness (B2B) meetings to help build relationships and boost the interests of both nations together for the benefit of the farmers and agribusiness.
The chamber will periodically organize events, workshops, and training programmes that will enhance the skills and knowledge of agribusiness professionals in both Ghana and Nebraska.
It will also promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in agriculture to ensure the long-term viability of the industry and help create a more prosperous and sustainable future for agribusinesses.
To test the agribusiness space in Nebraska, a 21-member Ghanaian agribusiness delegation, last year took part in the annual Husker Harvest Day event at Grand Island, Nebraska, which focused on the growth of agribusinesses in both the United States and Ghana.
The success of that event fueled the need to put in structures for better participation and interaction for the mutual benefit of the two regions.
Today, as final changes are put in place to officially launch the chamber, the chamber has already positioned itself as a galvanizing force for the mobilization of those in the agribusiness space to grow.