Leading Italian agribusiness firms have held promising business-to-business (B2B) meetings with Ghanaian agribusiness enterprises through the Ghana-Italy Agribusiness Digital Lab, organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA).

About 27 Italian companies took part in the meetings and exhibited Italy’s cutting-edge technologies and products to their Ghanaian counterparts, with a focus on Agricultural Machinery; Cold Chain and Logistics; Seeds, Greenhouse and Irrigation; and Sorting, Processing and Packaging.

The Ghanaian enterprises comprised over 50 firms operating along the agribusiness value chain, ranging from input suppliers to farmers/growers, agricultural trading companies, agro-processors, and retailers.

A number of agribusiness associations also took part in the meetings, which the Ghanaian participants generally described as fruitful and full of promising opportunities for commercial partnerships with the Italian firms.

“As a company, the virtual B2B meeting was a gold-mine opportunity given to us. In fact, it was a great program because the hustle we need to go through to get in contact with the right companies and the right persons has been solved by the program,” said Eric Kwabena Agyei of 3E Farms and Foods.

Commenting on the Italian technologies exhibited, he added: “Italian machinery technology is the best in the world and is second to none. On any day we shall go for Italian technology. Fortunately, it has proven itself over the years.”

Lucy Kyerede Quainoo, of Agribusiness Value Chain Federation, also said: “The products and services being offered by the Italian companies are excellent and timely in the agriculture and agribusiness sector, and in the entire value chain from production through to manufacturing to trade. I see opportunities for collaboration with all three companies I spoke to and look forward to further engagements.”

Anthony Morrison, CEO of the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, also commented: “Italian technologies are robust and sustainable technologies that Africa and Ghana should adopt. The technology shows more superior quality and advantage over some known ones. The companies are also willing to provide some level of skills training for prospective customers.”

Looking ahead to future partnerships, he added: “I’m hoping to visit about 4 prospective companies once the Covid-19 pandemic is over. We look forward to sealing a business with two or more companies from Italy.” 

For his part, Alessandro Gerbino, ITA Director for West Africa, said: “Italy has a lot to offer Ghana’s agribusiness market, from technology solutions to skills transfer and training.

“That is why we organized the Digital Lab as a platform to deepen engagement between the two countries’ agribusiness sectors and make Italian technologies easily accessible to the Ghanaian market.”

To promote skills development, ITA is awarding scholarships for an MBA in Impact Entrepreneurship and Innovation to two of the Ghanaian entrepreneurs who participated in the B2B meetings.

The MBA is a degree programme offered by the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), and E4Impact Foundation, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan (Italy), starting in September 2021.