The 6th National Food and Agric Show (FAGRO) has been launched in Kumasi with a call on the public to support the development and sustainability of the country’s agricultural sector, in order to boost the growth of the economy.

FAGRO, an annual event organized by the FAGRO secretariat in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, aims at creating a network and marketing platform to project the agricultural investment potential and opportunities in Ghana and the West-African sub-region. 

The Exhibition Director of FAGRO, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, delivering her speech at the event on Tuesday, noted that for other sectors of the economy to survive and competently perform its task, the country’s agric sector must first and foremost be stable, vibrant and highly competitive.

“A country whose agricultural sector isn’t a priority is likely to collapse, fail or face major economic problems,” she said.

Ms Akosa stated that, this year’s FAGRO, on the theme, “Sustainable Agricultural Growth and Development-Reducing Risk,” is scheduled to take place from Wednesday, November 12 to Friday, November 14.

Ms Akosa said the event would focus on sharing ideas and educate participants on some schemes and technologies that would aid in reducing risks in agric businesses and farms for growth and development. 

She explained that the 2014 FAGRO would update the knowledge base of stakeholders in the agric sector on how to tackle the various challenges confronting them in their day-to-day business activities through field demonstrations, seminars, training programmes, business to business sessions as well as agric exhibitions.

“Our field demonstrations on different technologies including greenhouse, irrigation and new systems for rice growers will be displayed and our seminars will engage participants on topics related to agric insurance, taking agric as a business and how risk can be reduced through the application of appropriate technologies,” she added.

Ms Akosa said this year’s FAGRO will host over 400 participants from countries including Ghana, Israel, Brazil and Burkina Faso and an estimated 2000 local and international visitors and investors.

Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Yamin said the decision to organize this year’s FAGRO in the Ashanti Region was a laudable idea especially since Kumasi is one of the major trade hubs in the country.

He reiterated government’s commitment to boost and promote the agric sector to reduce unemployment, especially among the youth.