A cross-section of state regulatory organisations joined Ghana's National Working Group in Accra, to validate the conduct of the group’s processes and procedures in the course of their data-gathering exercise for the ECOWAS Agriculture Trade and Market Scorecard (EATM-S).
The National Validation Workshop is an ECOWAS requirement for all FSRP member states to check the accuracy, consistency and quality of data gathered. The entire EATM-S implementation process, including the methodology, composition of the Working Group, data collection and analysis process (for both primary and secondary agricultural trade data) were analysed.
FRONT SEATS
In attendance were Honourable Kwesi Etu-Bonde - Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister for Food and Agriculture (MoFA); Dr. Ashwini Rekha Sebastian - Senior Agriculture Economist of the World Bank and FSRP Task Team Leader for Ghana and West Africa; Mr. Osei Owusu-Agyeman – Project Officer, FSRP Ghana; Mr. Segun Philip – Project Officer, ECOWAS Regional Agricultural Information System, (ECO-AGRIS) and Babacar Ceesay of Academiya2063. Senior officials of relevant state agencies and regulatory bodies related to trade, transportation, policy making and implementation were present.
CHECK-POINTS
The Chief Technical Adviser Minister of Food and Agriculture encouraged participants to draw Government’s attention to “all possible hindrances, challenges, lapses, loopholes, violations, discrepancies, oversights and challenges identified” in the EATM-S exercise “for review and redress of national and regional agricultural trade policies, towards easing the free movement of agricultural produce and inputs across the region”.
The FSRP Task Team Leader applauded the National Working Group for their dedication to the assignment and strides attained so far. She expressed optimism at the total effect of EATM-S on agribusiness in the sub-region. The ECLO-AGRIS Project Officer acknowledged the wide scope of institutional representation and participation in the exercise. The FSRP Project Coordinator endorsed the EATM-S initiative as an effective management principle: “We can best manage what we measure”, he affirmed.
TRUCKLOAD OF ANALYSTS
Members of the National Working Group include representatives from Customs, Ministries, Departments and Agencies and Traders Associations. The Head of the team and FSRP Agribusiness Specialist, Allswell Emmanuel Okai and a Deputy Director at the Policy Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Directorate of MoFA, Mr. Faisal Munkaila outlined Ghana’s implementation process and the results framework and scoring procedures.
The organisational representation at the National Validation Workshop included:
Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry (Trade Facilitation Unit, Trade Facilitation Committee); Ghana Statistical Service (Agriculture and Trade Desks); Ministry of Roads & Highways; MoFA (Policy Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Directorate); MoFA (Plant Protection & Regulatory Services Directorate); MoFA (Veterinary Services Dept); Ministry of Fisheries & Aquaculture Development; The World Bank; Federation Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE); Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI); Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA); Food and Drugs Authority (FDA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA National Office); Ghana Standards Authority (GSA); Ghana Association of Freight Forwarders; Ghana Shippers Authority; Cross border Traders Associations (tomato, maize, rice, etc.); Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness; Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
NEXT STOPS: ECOWAS, HEADS OF STATE..
From here, the final data will be submitted to ECOWAS and Akademiya2063 for assessment and scoring of member states, following a regional validation of submitted data.
The results (Scorecard) will then be presented at the ECOWAS Assembly of Heads of States and later disseminated to member countries and stakeholders, using Communication Action Plans – which were drawn by Academiya2063, in collaboration with the Communication Specialists of member countries.
[Accra; March 2025]
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