From 25 to 27 June 2024, PARM, in collaboration with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Ghana, organized its first Training of Trainers, specifically designed for actors from the private sector. Held in Accra, the workshop attracted strong participation from a wide range of private sector organizations, including fertilizer companies, farmers organisations, women organisations, exporters, buyers, investors, chambers of commerce and foundations.
The innovative training session was inaugurated by Gabriele Palermo, the Deputy Ambassador of Italy in Ghana, and Lakshmi Moola, the IFAD Country Director. Participants benefited from knowledge and experience sharing from experts like the Bonifiche Ferraresi Ghana, Shared Interest, IPF, a women producers’ organization from Ghana, and The National Insurance Commission. The event aimed to build the capacity of private sector organisations on the holistic approach to risk management, risk assessment and prioritization by value chain and evidence-based, risk tools and strategies, and monitoring and evaluation.
Each day featured dynamic discussions among participants, allowing for the exchange of best practices in managing risks within key value chains (i.e. poultry, tomato, soya). These discussions also explored potential synergies with agricultural sector donors and Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs) active in the country. A major issue highlighted by all participants was the unpredictability in the timing of financial disbursements from investors, government subsidies, and the availability of meteorological and market/price data. This unpredictability often leads to misalignment with the needs of agricultural value chain actors, resulting in errors. Through these exchanges, participants were able to identify potential solutions to these challenges. Participants also expressed significant interest in the institutionalization of agricultural risk management (ARM) to ensure its lasting and inclusive impact.
The workshop was also a great opportunity for PARM to engage with key TFPs to facilitate the alignment of their priorities with the goal of mobilizing resources for the development of an Agricultural Risk Management (ARM) investment project in Ghana.
