Accra, Nov. 7, GNA – The US government through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has hosted a two-day seed sector workshop for representatives of Ghana government and various academic institutions who presented information on pertinent topics.
Some of the topics they discussed included; the current state of the seed sector, the role of government in the production and distribution of quality seed, and current issues and opportunities facing the private sector.
A release issued by the US Embassy and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday said the workshop was part of the Borlaug Higher Education for Agriculture Research and Development (BHEARD) Programme.
It said the participants co-designed a map of the Ghanaian seed system and created a strategy that integrated the needs and vision of the public and private sectors.
The release said during the workshop, participating teams competed for funding to develop commercial seed technologies and up to three teams would be awarded $12,000 each, while the BHEARD staff would work directly with the winners to identify opportunities to scale-up the successful technologies.
It said: “BHEARD Programme is a $4.9 million, USAID-funded, multi-year programme as part of Feed the Future, the US government’s global hunger and food security initiative. BHEARD is a long-term agriculture degree (MSc and PhD) and food security training programme in support of agriculture-led growth and poverty reduction.
“The programme provides opportunities for selected public institutions to build their capacity in research, production, trade, policy, management, and outreach to promote greater agriculture-led economic growth and natural resources management.”
The USAID is the lead US Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realise their potential. USAID’s activities and strategic partnerships support Ghana’s journey to sell-reliance.
“Our work advances an integrated approach to development. It promotes accountability, sustainable systems, and inclusive development,” the statement said.
GNA
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