HortiFresh West Africa has been adjudged SME Agency of the year at the 6th SME Ghana Awards  held in Accra.

The award was in recognition of the entity’s achievements and vital efforts to the development of Fruit and Vegetable cultivation businesses in Ghana

The company was presented with a plaque, a certificate of merit and a citation, which the Country Director of SNV, Toorn Anjo Van, received on behalf of the company.

The citation indicated that HortiFresh was “indubitably recognized by the business community as one of the most brilliant interventions that have helped to strengthen vegetable farming in Ghana; and it is very evident that its partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands contributed sharply to boost the fruit and vegetable sector in Ghana, home and abroad. This move contributed to inclusive economic growth, food and nutrition security, increased productivity and export volumes for businesses under the programme.”

HortiFresh, formally known as “GhanaVeg” has been recognized for some of its programmes which sort to create jobs and tackle unemployment.

The SME Ghana Awards (SMEGA) is an annual National Award Scheme for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) instituted to recognise the countless achievements of Micro businesses, SMEs and individuals of entrepreneurial excellence in Ghana.

HortiFresh is a programme supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which has prioritized commercial agriculture in its strategic plan of moving from aid to trade. 

The programme’s mission is to establish “a sustainable and internationally competitive fruit and vegetable sector that contributes to inclusive economic growth, food and nutrition security” in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Sector intervention

The program consists of two components: fruits and vegetables. 

The objectives include improving productivity in the vegetable sector; facilitating more efficient markets, including linking vegetable producers and other value chain operators with the Dutch private sector; improving the business climate and further professionalizing the value chain for production and consumption in West Africa.

The programme runs until 2021 and aims to reach 15,000 farmers with a 20% increase in productivity, increase turnovers and export volumes of businesses supported by 25%.