The 2020 edition of the Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Training Tradeshow (LiPF) has been slated for September 25th and 26th, 2020.

The event that will have the United States Department for Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Ghana Poultry Project (GPP) playing the lead role in training, showcases and promotes the Livestock, Poultry and fisheries production value chain in Ghana.

This year, the Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Training Tradeshow (LiPF) will take place at the Efua Southerland Children’s Park in Accra.

In a press release issued in Accra to announce the event, Ms Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, the Executive Director of the event’s organizers, Agrihouse Foundation, described the event as one conceived, not only as an effort to bridge the existing gap between the livestock subsector and crop subsector but also as a medium through which opportunities for job creation could be maximally exploited, especially in this era of Covid-19 disruption.

Explaining this rationale further, Ms. Akosa said: “We all know that today, in Ghana, companies and institutions are struggling to keep from going under, the situation is not different for us.

However, for us, our fervent determination to see that Ghana fully harnesses the rich potential in its livestock subsector is what informed our decision and perseverance to actualize this year’s Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Training Tradeshow (LiPF).

“We know very well the value it brings to our national economy and the investment opportunities it offers to our eager and teeming entrepreneurs; not to talk of the continuity it assures in the area of job creation once the event comes to stay.”

Consequently, whilst last year’s event focused only on poultry, this year will see additional areas like piggery, snail, fishery, rabbit, small ruminant etc.

Indeed, it was from this expansion of its scope that this year’s event derived its theme, Step Up.

To further enrich its offering, the event now includes exhibitions and free training in Animal Production and livestock business, as well as industry best practices.

“So, this year’s edition helps participants to identify the opportunities present in the livestock, poultry and fisheries subsector, whilst learning first hand from experts, how to harness opportunities for lucrative economic engagement,” the Executive Director was quoted as saying.

Already receiving acclamations and commendations from relevant institutions, the event that was first held last year in collaboration with the All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture (AACAA7) at the Accra International Conference Center, from 29th to 31st July 2019, has been described as timely.

The Chief of Party of the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) Ghana Poultry Project (GPP), Carianne De Boer, said the livestock sector presents valuable opportunities that must be harnessed for Ghana’s economic development.

For her, there was no better time than now to build our own efficiency, industry capacity and opportunity for all through livestock development.

Appreciating that a vibrant livestock sector in Ghana is important in many ways, especially in the areas of job creation, food resilience and nutrition, Madam De Boer was further quoted as saying that:

“In recognition of its importance, government launched the Rearing for Food and Jobs program last year. Several aspects of the sector still need strengthening and attention by all stakeholders – investors, government, sector actors, etc.,” Madam De Boer intimated, seemingly underscoring the reason for GPP’s prominent support for this year’s livestock tradeshow.

“No better time than now do we have to build our own efficiency, industry capacity and opportunity for men, women, and youth through livestock development.”

The Minister for Food and Agriculture also sees the effort of Agrihouse “as a good example of the much-desired public, private sector partnership in this important sector.”

For the Minister, the Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Training Tradeshow is a step in the right direction for the development of the animal production sector which is why the Ministry will continue to partner with Agrihouse Foundation to ensure that the Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Training and Tradeshow becomes a sustainable annual event.

The day’s rich learning experience will end with other interesting sessions, like the valuable illumination on Dutch Poultry Sector to be delivered by Bram Wits of the Netherlands Embassy; and the very important Introduction To Cattle Farming, with the Animal Production Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) taking the Processing and Marketing aspect.

The opening day’s training session also includes the Introduction To Rabbit Farming, here, the Veterinary Services Directorate of MoFA will be presenting the Production, Inputs and Health sub-topics.

The second and final day begins, as usual, with an exhibition and continues with the lineup of the day’s training sessions starting with the topic, Introduction To Cat Fish Farming, in which the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture will be one of the prominent resource institutions.

That will be followed by Introduction To Poultry Farming, with GPP’s Augustine Aman presenting Small scale Poultry Processing and the niche market, etc.

Livestock Breeders Association of Ghana; Representatives of the National Farmers and the Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana; and the Nyonkodo Farmers Association.