Ghana LinksGhana Linkshttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=602024-03-29T13:26:27Z2024-03-29T13:26:27ZYouthMappers Engage with Soy Value Chain through Immersive Field Data CollectionSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=493502022-09-03T20:44:25Z2022-09-03T20:43:00Z<p> <strong>Notes from the Field: YouthMappers Engage with Soy Value
Chain through Immersive Field Data Collection</strong></p>
<p>SIL is collaborating with USAID’S <a
href="https://www.youthmappers.org/"
target="_blank">YouthMappers </a>on a student project to generate
geographical information systems (GIS) data on the spatial
configuration of key installations within the soybean value chain in
and around Kumasi, Ghana. Students from the YouthMappers chapter at
the University of Cape Coast conducted field research to collect
spatial data and information about soybean processing and storage
facilities in the Kumasi area. The students learned how to use GIS
tools such as KoboCollect, developed and fielded quantitative and
qualitative surveys of facility managers, and collected data on how
soy is aggregated, purchased, stored, processed and shipped in the
region. These data contribute to SIL’s research focused on the spatial
and value chain economics of the Ghanaian soybean complex.<br />
<br /> YouthMappers is a consortium of university chapters dedicated
to the use of GIS data to better understand issues in regions of
extreme poverty where USAID works. Through the collaboration with SIL,
YouthMappers students gained valuable knowledge and technical skills
related to their study of the soybean value chain in Ghana. Read below
excerpts from blogs written by the YouthMappers students about their
collaboration with SIL.</p>
<p>“The answers provided by our respondent were quite interesting.
For an agricultural based country like Ghana, we were surprised to
learn about the challenges our first respondent faced when he tries
to acquire soybean from the local farmers, transport the produce and
market it. This field work has given the team an insight to a gap in
the agricultural sector which we couldn’t have known about before, and
met processors and managers in Kumasi and Sunyani which we wouldn’t
have before.”<br /> Kwame Odame, Gladys Adjei and Kingsley Kanji | <a
href="https://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-student-experiences-processors-site-kumasi"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog</a>.<br /> <br /> “Meeting
farmers and processors was a great encounter, and the warm welcome of
most of them was great. It was amazing listening to the responses from
poultry farmers and processors alike. Once we were in the field, we
realized that despite our education on the soybean industry, a great
deal of information is still out there in the lives of people waiting
to be garnered. With every interview, we added another piece to the
puzzle and the overall picture got clearer.”<br /> Faustina Lina
Yebooah, Anthony Acquah and Daniel Osei | <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-putting-together-soybean-value-chain-puzzle"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog.</a><br /> <br /> “The
major challenges facing the value chain are the lack of storage
facilities, inadequate capital with little help from the financial
institutions, and poor road networks. However, as students, we believe
that the soy industry has the capacity to boost our economy as a
country, with its high nutritional benefits to keep us healthy and
also as an opportunity to create employment for the youth.”<br /> Bert
Manieson, Sabina Abuga and Francis Debrah | <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-mapping-soybean-value-chain-and-its-challenges"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog</a>.<br /> <br /> “The
most amazing part of the KoBo Toolbox is its ability to generate
descriptive statistics of the field data collected, which is something
that isn’t possible with paper and pen data collection. This saved our
team a considerable amount of time and data processing resources We
transcribed the audio recordings that were collected from survey
respondents in the field to provide a more complete picture of our GIS
data, including the reasons why the respondents ran their operations
as they did, their experiences running their operations at their
facilities and more.”<br /> Ebenezer Boateng, Confidence Kpodo and
Godfred Eshun Afful | <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-kobo-toolbox-aids-agribusiness-collection"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog.</a><br /> </p>
<p> <a href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/notes-field"
target="_blank">Read more SIL Notes from the Field.</a><br /> <br />
SIL's Notes from the Field blogs are designed to provide our audience
with an up-close look at the researchers, collaborators, and
communities that SIL is engaging with to improve the soybean value
chain in Sub-Saharan Africa. <br /> <br /> <strong>August 23,
2018</strong> - <em>Source: Soybean Innovation Lab's Weekly Digest
Volume 4 Issue 21 August 23rd, 2018</em></p>Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:43:00ZSIL Researcher Receives Grant for Soybean Value Chain Project with Church of the BrethrenSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=492872022-09-03T20:34:44Z2022-09-03T20:34:00ZNext month, Dennis Thompson, a SIL researcher who leads the lab’s seed
systems efforts, will collaborate with with Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria
(<a href="https://www.brethren.org/global/nigeria/"
target="_blank">EYN – the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria</a>
) to lead a soybean value chain learning trip to Ghana. While there,
Thompson will work with SIL’s in-country partners at Catholic Relief
Services (CRS)-Ghana to educate the EYN team on the importance of inputs
and appropriate agronomic practices to achieve high soybean yields,
showcased at SIL’s SMART Farm.<br />
<br />
The team will also learn about the integration of soy in local
Ghanaian foods through visits to local soy food enterprises and SIL’s
work in low-cost, locally produced mechanization. The team will also
visit the <a
href="https://www.meda.org/women-and-youth-our-projects/women-and-youth-current-projects/41-ghana-greater-rural-opportunities-for-women-grow"
target="_blank">MEDA GROW </a>
project to learn about their successes in developing soybean in the
Upper West region of Ghana. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.brethren.org/news/2018/GFI-grants-sow-seeds.html"
target="_blank">Read the full press release.</a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/seed-systems"
target="_blank">Learn more about SIL’s work on seed systems</a>
.Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:34:00ZThis Week’s Recipe: Soyabean Chicken Soup!Super Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=492582022-09-03T20:33:58Z2022-09-03T20:32:00ZThis soup blends the flavors of soy, chicken, tomato, fish, peppers, and
onions to make a filling and savory soup. The recipe was taken
from Soyabeans in the Nigerian Diet. Extension Bulletin No.21. National
Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services. Ahmadu Bello University.<br />
<br />
<a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/sites/soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/files/Soyabean%20Chicken%20Soup.pdf"
target="_blank">Get the recipe!</a>
<br />
<br />
<a
href="https://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/soy-food-recipe-database"
target="_blank">Visit SIL’s Soy Food Recipe Database!</a>Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:32:00ZUSAID/Ghana's Power Africa programSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=492322022-09-04T00:14:07Z2022-09-03T20:30:00Z<p>USAID/Ghana's Power Africa program signed a five-year Memorandum of
Understanding with the Government of Ghana for the second iteration of
the Power Africa initiative. The signing ceremony took place
following a high-level discussion between Secretary of Commerce Wilbur
Ross and several high ranking Ghanaian officials, including President
Nana Akufo-Addo. The Memorandum commits USAID and the Government to
work together to improve energy access in Ghana and to expand
cooperation between the two governments to support Ghana's goal of
increasing its supply of electricity to 4,900 megawatts by 2023 and to
increase its electricity service rate to 90% by 2020. </p>
<p>Expected Result: Under "Power Africa 2.0," the USAID
intends to increase its focus on access, transmission and distribution
infrastructure, the necessary enabling environment for sustained
private investment in the power sector, and facilitating African
countries’ journey towards self-reliance.<br /> <br /> <strong>August
7, 2018</strong> - <em>Source: The Ghana Glance: USAID/Ghana </em></p>Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:30:00ZGhana issued accreditation to inspect, certify fish products for exportSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=491932022-09-03T20:43:15Z2022-09-03T20:27:00Z<strong>Ghana issued accreditation to inspect, certify fish products for export</strong>
<br />
Ghana has been issued with an international accreditation licence to
inspect, verify and certify fish in all forms before it is sold on the
international market. The licence, issued by the internationally
recognised accreditation body, Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH
(DAKKS), was specifically issued to the Fish Inspection Department of
the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).<br />
<br />
As such, DAKKS has attested that the Fish Inspection Department of
the GSA is competent under the terms of internationally applicable
standards as a Type A to carry out pre-shipment inspection of fish and
fish products for exports. The certificate was issued on June 29, 2018
and is valid until 2023...<a
href="https://uri.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b241b74d05dace174fc275814&id=43e4cdf110&e=b86469a1c5"
target="_blank">read more</a>
<br />
<br />
<strong>90% of fish stocks are used up – fisheries subsidies must stop</strong>
<br />
The name of our planet is misleading. We call it Earth. Yet, over 70%
of its surface is covered by the ocean. Sometimes we forget how
essential the ocean is for the water we drink, the air we breathe, for
human activity and for life. Year after year, we have been pushing the
boundaries of the ocean’s sustainability, and in so doing we have been
challenging our own.<br />
<br />
The list of ocean’s troubles is long, but there is one item that
demands immediate attention: harmful fisheries subsidies.<br />
<br />
It is sobering to consider that nearly 90% of the world’s marine fish
stocks are now fully exploited, overexploited or depleted, and there is
no doubt that fisheries subsidies play a big role. Without them, we
could slow the overexploitation of fish stocks, deal with the
overcapacity of fishing fleets, and tackle the scourge of illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing....<a
href="https://uri.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b241b74d05dace174fc275814&id=87cae822ed&e=b86469a1c5"
target="_blank">read more</a>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Africa threatened by Asian fish imports</strong>
<br />
Evidence suggests that government policies to protect their borders
from illegal fish imports are proving ineffective, while other
governments have virtually endorsed foreign tilapia imports as a
necessary evil.<br />
<br />
Most African countries are implementing aquaculture development
strategies to reverse the trend of sharply declining marine output, high
fish import bills and low fish consumption figures. Most are consuming
far more fish than they produce.<br />
According to current figures Ghana consumes 1 million tonnes per
annum but produces only 400,000; Nigeria produces 1.1 million tonnes out
of an annual demand of 3.2 million; Kenya produces 200,000 tonnes
annually but local demand is 1 million; Uganda produces 461 tonnes,
leaving an annual supply gap of 300,000; Zambia produces 114,000 tonnes
per year, leaving a supply gap of 87,000; Ivory Coast produces 72,000
tonnes, leaving a supply gap of between 250,000 and 300,000; Tanzania
produces 336,000 tonnes out of national demand of 771,000; Zimbabwe
27,000, out of national demand of 60,000 tonnes.....<a
href="https://uri.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b241b74d05dace174fc275814&id=f0c0e6c8e9&e=b86469a1c5"
target="_blank">read more</a>
<br />
<p> <strong>August 3, 2018</strong> - Source: <em>Fisheries in
the News; A service of the Ministry of Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries
Commission. Compiled by the Sustainable Fisheries Management
Project, USAID GHANA.</em></p>Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:27:00ZUSAID and the Central and Western Region Fishmongers Improvement AssociationSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=491042022-09-03T20:22:56Z2022-09-03T20:21:00Z<p>March 29, USAID and the Central and Western Region Fishmongers
Improvement Association (CEWEFIA) launched a modern fish processing
center at Elmina in Ghana’s Central Region in collaboration with the
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) and the
Fisheries Commission. The facility was supported under the Sustainable
Fisheries Management Project. It not only provides a hygienic and
conducive place for the fishmongers, but also the improved “Ahoto
ovens” for smoking fish, which use 30% less wood and significantly
reduce the health risks for CEWEFIA’s members. At the event Ghana’s
Deputy Minister of Fisheries Ago Cudjoe, stated that the formal
announcement of the closed season for Ghana’s small pelagic fisheries
is imminent. Ghanaians consume almost twice the global average of
fish, which accounts for 60% of the animal protein in their diet. </p>
<p>Expected Result: To promote productivity in Ghana’s coastal
fisheries industry, meeting a core requirement for the new Class I
hygienic fish processing facility certification implemented by the
Fisheries Commission and the Ghana National Standards Authority
strengthening livelihood opportunities for women.<br /> <br /> <em>
<strong>June 29, 2018</strong> - Source: The Ghana Glance:
USAID/Ghana </em></p>Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:21:00ZUSAID and the Association of Ghana Solar IndustriesSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=490962022-09-03T20:26:28Z2022-09-03T20:17:00Z<p>March 31, USAID and the Association of Ghana Solar Industries (AGSI)
held an industry breakfast meeting in Accra on Regulatory Issues and
Challenges Facing the Renewable Energy Industry in Ghana with the
Ministry of Energy (MoEn) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). It
was sponsored by the Power Africa Transactions and Reforms Program.
The exchange with MoEn centered on the government’s policies on
renewable energy (RE) targets, urban rooftop solar, and isolated
mini-grids and how they has limited private sector investment in these
spaces. The GRA executives briefed AGSI’s members on the changes
that Ghana is introducing to harmonize its tax and customs regime with
the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, which is increasing the cost of
solar power to un-electrified communities. </p>
<p>Expected Result: Ghana is a leader in expanding electricity
service to its population, but to achieve universal access by 2030
as it committed to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Seven it
will have to accelerate the deployment of off-grid solutions,
primarily enabled by solar power.</p>Super Administrator2022-09-03T20:17:00ZAugust 23, 2018 - Source: Soybean Innovation Lab's Weekly Digest Volume 4 Issue 21 August 23rd, 2018Super Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=485012022-09-03T00:37:03Z2022-09-03T00:35:00Z<p> <strong>Notes from the Field: YouthMappers Engage with Soy Value
Chain through Immersive Field Data Collection</strong></p>
<p>SIL is collaborating with USAID’S <a
href="https://www.youthmappers.org/"
target="_blank">YouthMappers </a>on a student project to generate
geographical information systems (GIS) data on the spatial
configuration of key installations within the soybean value chain in
and around Kumasi, Ghana. Students from the YouthMappers chapter at
the University of Cape Coast conducted field research to collect
spatial data and information about soybean processing and storage
facilities in the Kumasi area. The students learned how to use GIS
tools such as KoboCollect, developed and fielded quantitative and
qualitative surveys of facility managers, and collected data on how
soy is aggregated, purchased, stored, processed and shipped in the
region. These data contribute to SIL’s research focused on the spatial
and value chain economics of the Ghanaian soybean complex.<br />
<br /> YouthMappers is a consortium of university chapters dedicated
to the use of GIS data to better understand issues in regions of
extreme poverty where USAID works. Through the collaboration with SIL,
YouthMappers students gained valuable knowledge and technical skills
related to their study of the soybean value chain in Ghana. Read below
excerpts from blogs written by the YouthMappers students about their
collaboration with SIL.</p>
<p>“The answers provided by our respondent were quite interesting.
For an agricultural based country like Ghana, we were surprised to
learn about the challenges our first respondent faced when he tries
to acquire soybean from the local farmers, transport the produce and
market it. This field work has given the team an insight to a gap in
the agricultural sector which we couldn’t have known about before, and
met processors and managers in Kumasi and Sunyani which we wouldn’t
have before.”<br /> Kwame Odame, Gladys Adjei and Kingsley Kanji | <a
href="https://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-student-experiences-processors-site-kumasi"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog</a>.<br /> <br /> “Meeting
farmers and processors was a great encounter, and the warm welcome of
most of them was great. It was amazing listening to the responses from
poultry farmers and processors alike. Once we were in the field, we
realized that despite our education on the soybean industry, a great
deal of information is still out there in the lives of people waiting
to be garnered. With every interview, we added another piece to the
puzzle and the overall picture got clearer.”<br /> Faustina Lina
Yebooah, Anthony Acquah and Daniel Osei | <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-putting-together-soybean-value-chain-puzzle"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog.</a><br /> <br /> “The
major challenges facing the value chain are the lack of storage
facilities, inadequate capital with little help from the financial
institutions, and poor road networks. However, as students, we believe
that the soy industry has the capacity to boost our economy as a
country, with its high nutritional benefits to keep us healthy and
also as an opportunity to create employment for the youth.”<br /> Bert
Manieson, Sabina Abuga and Francis Debrah | <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-mapping-soybean-value-chain-and-its-challenges"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog</a>.<br /> <br /> “The
most amazing part of the KoBo Toolbox is its ability to generate
descriptive statistics of the field data collected, which is something
that isn’t possible with paper and pen data collection. This saved our
team a considerable amount of time and data processing resources We
transcribed the audio recordings that were collected from survey
respondents in the field to provide a more complete picture of our GIS
data, including the reasons why the respondents ran their operations
as they did, their experiences running their operations at their
facilities and more.”<br /> Ebenezer Boateng, Confidence Kpodo and
Godfred Eshun Afful | <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/youthmappers-kobo-toolbox-aids-agribusiness-collection"
target="_blank">Read the rest of the blog.</a><br /> </p>
<p> <a href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/notes-field"
target="_blank">Read more SIL Notes from the Field.</a><br /> <br />
SIL's Notes from the Field blogs are designed to provide our audience
with an up-close look at the researchers, collaborators, and
communities that SIL is engaging with to improve the soybean value
chain in Sub-Saharan Africa. </p>Super Administrator2022-09-03T00:35:00ZSoyBytes: Dr. Juan Andrade Discusses the Role of Soy in Early Childhood NutritionSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=493102022-09-04T00:10:36Z2021-12-07T20:34:00Z<p>SIL experts and partners are involved in a number of initiatives and
programs designed to improve production and utilization of soybean in
Sub-Saharan Africa. SIL’s new podcast series, SoyBytes, offers an
inside look at SIL innovations and technologies, direct from the
experts themselves.</p>
<p>In this SoyByte, Dr. Juan Andrade discusses how soy can be
included in complementary foods for infants and young children in
many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. When infants begin to transition
from breastfeeding to solid foods at six months, they require
additional nutrients, including more protein. If these nutrition
needs are not met, malnutrition at this stage can have lifelong
consequences on a child’s cognitive and physical development.<br />
<br /> SIL is addressing this need for improved nutrition by
engaging in research in Northern Ghana on complementary foods that
contain soy and local staples. Soy is one of the very few
plant-based complete protein sources, and its growing popularity in
Sub-Saharan Africa presents a unique opportunity for reducing
malnutrition.<br /> <br /> <a
href="https://soundcloud.com/user-948098783/sil-soybytes-dr-juan-andrade"
target="_blank">Listen to the SoyByte!</a></p>
<p> <a
href="http://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/soy-fortified-complementary-weaning-foods"
target="_blank">Learn more about SIL’s work on Complementary and
Weaning Foods!</a></p>Super Administrator2021-12-07T20:34:00ZPrampram fisherfolk back government fishing ban, but call for enforcement of laws on IUUSuper Administratorhttps://ghanalinks.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=60&entryId=492192022-09-03T20:38:25Z2018-08-03T20:28:00Z<strong>Prampram fisherfolk back government fishing ban, but call for
enforcement of laws on IUU</strong>
<br />
Fishermen at the Prampram Landing Beach in the Ningo Prampram
district, have backed government's policy for the 2018 closed season
scheduled for August 7 to September 4, 2018, to save the industry from
total collapse.<br />
They are, however, appealing to the government to as a matter of
urgency enforce the fisheries laws and regulations on illegal unreported
and unregulated practices before, during and after the closed season in
order to yield maximum benefits from the closed season.<br />
Addressing the media, Assembly Member for West Lower Prampram,
Solomon Djangmah said despite the decreasing fish landings, the number
of marine canoes and boat fishing in Prampram alone is a little over 60
canoes in the year 2000 to over 300 artisanal canoes presently...<a
href="https://uri.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b241b74d05dace174fc275814&id=c94da29834&e=b86469a1c5"
target="_blank">read more</a>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Ghanaian government to introduce aquaculture jobs program as
fishing ban kicks in</strong>
<br />
<br />
Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye, Ghana's minister for fisheries and
aquaculture development, has hinted to plans to introduce an
"aquaculture for food and jobs" program, Daily Guide Africa reported.<br />
The initiative is intended to – in a long run – benefit the nation by
promoting fishing and creating employment for Ghanaians, according to
the minister.<br />
The program is currently on pilot at some selected sites and will
soon be unveiled.<br />
“We are promoting aquaculture,” Afoley said.<br />
Deputy minister for fisheries and aquaculture development, Kingsley
Ato Cudjoe, said that the fishing season had been closed, as previously
announced, to achieve "sustainable fishing and also help replenish
the depleting fish stock in the marine sub-sector".<br />
But fishermen have expressed reservations about the move, arguing
that it will deprive them of theirlivelihood.<br />
Source: <a
href="https://uri.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b241b74d05dace174fc275814&id=868c0adcdc&e=b86469a1c5"
target="_blank">Undercurrent News</a>
<br />
<br />
<strong>August 3, 2018</strong>
- Source: <em>Fisheries in the News; A service of the Ministry of
Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries
Commission. Compiled by the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project,
USAID GHANA.</em>Super Administrator2018-08-03T20:28:00Z