Ho Technical University has hosted the second Agritech Symposium and Exhibition as part of the Industry-Academia Technology Dialogue ‘INDAC-TED,’ organised by the Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana (IIPGH), and its partners, AFOS Foundation and DIGICAP Ghana. The event, held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at the G.M. Afeti Auditorium, revolved around the theme ‘Application of Agritech to Improve Food Production.’
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ben Honyenuga, in his address, underscored the significance of agriculture and technology and highlighted the necessity for technologically enhanced sustainable agriculture due to population growth, climate change, and limited resources.
He stressed that stakeholders must collaborate to enhance the country’s food production capacity, employing relevant technology to safeguard livelihoods and food security.
The VC noted that it was unsustainable for Ghana to continue importing essential produce such as tomatoes and onions from neighbouring West African nations while there is an abundance of arable land and necessary technology to cultivate these products for consumption and export.
“Relying on imported vegetables must cease. We need to take action and produce the staple foods we consume in this country,” Prof. Honyenuga stated. He assured of HTU’s readiness to partner with industry and other stakeholders to address socio-economic challenges through research.
Mr. David Gowu, Executive Director of IIPGH, mentioned that the Agritech symposium served as a platform for industry-academia dialogue, fostering collaboration among stakeholders and promoting innovative technologies that could revolutionise the agricultural landscape in Ghana.
He reiterated IIPGH’s commitment to nurturing a vibrant ecosystem for information and communication technology professionals to help transform the country into a technology-driven society.
Madam Hanna Schlingmann, Project Manager of DIGICAP, expressed excitement about partnering with the event and anticipated the positive impact it would have on the agricultural sector. She believed that accompanying strategies would stimulate employment and entrepreneurship.
Mr. Bernhard Vester, Managing Director of AFOS Foundation Germany, noted that their agriculture project had been progressively integrating more agribusiness and value chains through improved communication and networking.
Mr. Anthony Morrison, a farmer and Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Agribusiness, who was the guest speaker, said technology inclusion in agriculture was crucial to the sustainability of the sector, which contributes heavily to the country’s economy. According to him, adopting cutting-edge technologies such as precision agriculture, remote sensing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence would optimise resource utilisation, improve crop yield, and enhance overall agricultural efficiency and productivity.
He called for the country to prioritise and invest in requisite infrastructure to support technology-driven agriculture to ensure food security and job creation.
Panelists later shared insights into technological trends such as artificial intelligence and drones for improving food production and promoting sustainable agriculture, thereby creating opportunities for education and employment.
Dr. Kofi Debrah, the former Chief of Party for the USAID West Africa Fertilizer Programme and IFDC’s Country Representative in Ghana, also participated in the discussions.
The Agritech exhibition featured agricultural inputs, implements, products, as well as HTU’s baobab research and innovation.
In attendance were the Municipal Chief Executive for Ho, Mr. Divine Bosson, stakeholders in the agriculture value-chain, including farmer groups, representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, input dealers, seed producers, Agritech enthusiasts, researchers as well as faculty and students of the University.