The Unit Head of Business & Sales at Agricultural Development Bank, (ADB) Mr. Mohammed Ali, has praised Agrihouse Foundation for creating an innovative platform through its ‘Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Tradeshow,’ that educates farmers and agri-startups on things they need to know and do, to help them qualify for bank support and facilities.
He said, quite unfortunately most people in the agric sector who walk into (ADB) with hopes of accessing bank loans, in most cases, do not have basic knowledge about the type of support they seek; the requirements and benchmarks.
However, platforms like the, ‘Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries Tradeshow’ is changing that; by bringing together small-scale animal farmers, processors and all others within the value chain, and providing them with financial education, training and platforms to exhibit their products and services.
He said ADB is particularly interested in such innovative agric-projects that build the capacity of farmers, and is therefore committed to support the interventional project continue to expand and reach more groups and individuals across the country who are passionate about agricultural projects.
“ADB has been a loyal partner to Agrihouse foundation, and in particular, for the past three years when the LIFP was launched; we have been part of the partners of this important project from the very beginning” he stressed.
Mr. Mohammed Ali made these comments yesterday at the launching of the 3rd Livestock, Poultry, Fisheries Training Tradeshow, organized by Agrihouse Foundation, at Nungua Farms, on the theme, “WE MOVE! W)N YAA”
The main event would be a two-day training and exhibition tradeshow, slated for Friday, May 21 – Saturday, May 22, in partnership with the United State Department of Agriculture (UNDA) – Ghana Poultry Project (GPP), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), and National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winner’s Association of Ghana (NFFAWAG).
Touching on the importance of agriculture, Mr. Ali reiterated that agriculture sector continues to remain the backbone of Ghana’s economy and that of many African countries.
In view of this, he said, ADB has gone through a lot of transformation in order to make sure that it continues to expand its services, products and offers to ensure it is increasing funding towards projects focused on the country’s agricultural sector.
Management of the Bank, he noted, has found the need to expand the agric financing department to what is now called the, ‘agric business division,’ amined at ensuring that the entire agric value chain is catered to through technical and financial supports.
“At the various branches of ADB, a desk is established, called the agric desk, to ensure that players within the agric sector can easily walk into any ADB branch, to the agric desk and make enquiries, to find out how best you can access fund,” he said.
He emphasized, that is reason it is important that, before people walk into banks (ADB), they know the criteria’s and benchmarks of the support or facility they seek, “Ones you meet the benchmarks, there shouldn’t be any problem, accessing funds,” he stressed.
He said ADB is committed to supporting any project that is aimed promoting agri-businesses, “If you are interested in having any form of collaboration or seeking funding, do not hesitate to get in touch with any of our branches; we should be able to provide advisory services or better the financing of your project” he noted.
