Vegetable exports from Ghana worth US$15M start again
Summary
As part of a €1.8 million project – part-funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CABI Development Fund and the private sector – CABI and partners are helping to protect the livelihood of Ghana’s vegetable growers by improving their food safety know-how throughout the horticulture supply chain. It means that vegetable exports to Europe of chilli peppers, eggplants and gourds, worth US$15 million a year, have started again, following the lifting of a ban imposed by the EU in 2015 because of concerns about the management of quarantine pests.
The story
CABI’s work in partnership to improve Ghana’s food safety – or phytosanitary – systems, means vegetable exports worth US$15 million a year have started again following the lifting of a ban imposed by the EU in 2015.
Trade was suspended because of concerns about the management of quarantine pests. The ban’s removal means Ghana is once more exporting valuable chilli peppers, eggplants and gourds to Europe.
As part of a €1.8 million project – part-funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CABI Development Fund and the private sector – CABI and partners are helping to protect the livelihood of Ghana’s vegetable growers by improving their food safety know-how throughout the horticulture supply chain.
Work includes streaming inspection and export certification, enhancing horticulture production procedures, improving sorting, inspection and packing facilities, promoting good agricultural practices, and training farmers in quarantine pest surveillance.
“The project has improved the shortcomings in the phytosanitary export certification system in Ghana. The current phytosanitary safeguards are sufficient to ensure that Asian vegetables from Ghana destined for the EU will be free from harmful organisms.”
Ebenezer Aboagye, Head of Crop Pest and Disease Management Division at the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
CABI’s Project Manager in Ghana, Walter Hevi, says that the partnership has brought improvements to the country’s phytosanitary systems.
“An important step in CABI’s overall mission to help end poverty as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
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