Northern Regional Minister Commends GNECS

The Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, has lauded Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS) for continuously promoting the consumption of eggs for good health.

I have followed your campaign and I appreciate the message of good health being promoted. It is heartwarming to learn that egg can be used to prepare any and every dish and its nutritional value is unmatched.” he remarked.

The Northern Regional Minister made the remarked when he visited the stand of GNECS at the 13th annual Pre-Harvest Conference and Exhibition at the Agrihouse Agri-Village at Bamvim near Tamale.

The event was organized by Agrihouse Foundation in partnership with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), and was on the theme, ”Connecting the Unconnected- The Farmer, The Input Dealer, The Agri-Processor”.

The minister also commended the organizers of the event adding that the event was important because over the years, the exhibitions had been able to highlight key issues such as harvesting and post-harvesting, which were relevant to the agricultural value chain.

Other notable visitors at the GNECS stand included Hajia Hawa Musah, the Regional Agric Director, Regional Department of Agriculture, Alhaji Mashud Mohammed, the National Best Farmer for 2021, and Ms. Theresa Randolph, the Country Director for Yara Ghana.

Over 1000 individuals, including curious visitors, students, researchers and tourists, who also visited GNECS stands were served with various kinds of egg dish on day one of the exhibition.

The three-day event, which took place from October 24 to 26, 2023, was aimed at building the capacity of farmers and other key players in the agricultural industry.

GNECS was among over 100 firms made up of commercial farms, agro-chemical firms, fertilizer companies, financial institutions, and state food-related and scientific research institutions exhibiting their products and services during the 3-day period.

Not only did the patrons benefit from eating dishes made from eggs, but the GNECS also employed the services of a nutritionist from the Ghana Health Service who provided education on the benefits of consuming eggs regularly. Flyers containing information of egg and egg consumption were also distributed.

As the leading institution marketing the consumption of eggs, GNECS aims to expand the trade in eggs, create awareness through myth busting and education on the benefits eggs and encourage the consumption of eggs.

Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat was established when the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the American Soy bean Association (ASA) funded project-AMPLIFIES came to a close in 2019.

Propelling agriculture

The Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, in a speech read on her behalf at the launch by the Growth and Partnership Lead of the Foundation, Michael Opuni Frimpong, said the event would serve as a hub for forging vital partnerships, elevating industry practices and propelling the agriculture sector.

She indicated that this year’s event marks a significant milestone for the foundation, as it has relocated from the traditional venue, the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, to the Agrihouse Agri-Village at Bamvim near Tamale.

We are very hopeful that it will open new horizons for innovation, collaboration and expanded opportunities within the community and agricultural sector at large,” she said.

While commending the NRCC and its partners for the support, Ms. Akosa urged agribusinesses and all actors in the agriculture value chain to take advantage of the event to network and connect with potential partners and investors.

The event was expected to attract more than 4,000 participants across the agricultural value chain including seed suppliers, farmers, traders, processors, transporters, wholesalers, retailers and final consumers.

It also offered training and capacity sessions for farmers, while creating market links for farmers and producers of commodities such as yam, maize, rice, millet, sorghum, soybean, cowpea, cashew and shea.

Additionally, there were field demonstrations, where farmers and actors had practically learned, appreciated and adopted best practices in farm management.

Now in its 13th year, the Annual Pre-Harvest Conference and Exhibition has become a prominent and highly impactful event on the Ghanaian Agribusiness calendar.

Sponsors for this year’s event include YARA Ghana, GIZ-EUGAP, Interplast, and others. These sponsors have played a vital role in making this event possible and in supporting the growth and development of agriculture in Ghana.