WFP, KOICA HANDS OVER US$500,000 EQUIPMENT to 5 COLLEGES OF AGRICULTIRE

The beneficiary institutions are Damongo, Ohawu, Ejura, Kwadaso and Wenchi Colleges of Agriculture. It was done with funding support from the government of Korea through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to strengthen digital agriculture training in the educational institutions. The agritech equipment included 60 moisture meters, 60 soil testers, 60 greenhouse environmental control learning kits, 60 IoT sensor education kits, weather station starter kits, 60 GPS devices, high-performance computers, business laptops and 15 mini drones. The package also included agricultural spraying simulation, drone flight simulation and agricultural data-processing software. The intervention is expected to ensure that agricultural professionals leaving these colleges were equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively apply mechanization and digital technologies to improve productivity, efficiency and resilience across the agricultural value chains. The ceremony was under the theme: “Strengthening agricultural education for a digital future”. Investment in knowledge Addressing the ceremony last Wednesday, the Minister responsible for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the equipment represented an investment in knowledge, skills, innovation and, most importantly, in the young men and women who would shape the future of Ghanaian agriculture. He said the intervention signaled an important shift in the preparation of the next generation of agricultural professionals, saying “we are preparing them for an agricultural sector in which decisions are increasingly informed by data and technology”. “We are moving towards a future where farmers can assess soil conditions before applying nutrients; where weather information can inform decisions on planting and farm management and where soil moisture can be monitored to improve water-use efficiency and reduce losses” he said. He stressed that “we are entering an era where drones, sensors, digital platforms and data analytics become practical tools for increasing productivity”. New possibilities The Country Director, WFP, Aurore Rusiga, said digital technologies such as drones and remote sensing, GPS for digital mapping, weather and climate information services, and smart irrigation systems were creating new possibilities to addressing some of the challenges in the agricultural sector. She said they can enable farmers to better understand conditions of their farms, use resources more efficiently, detect problems earlier and access timely information and make better-informed decisions. For his part, the Country Director, KOICA, Dong Wan Woo, said the event was part of the KOICA-WFP partnership on youth economic empowerment through digitalisation for resilience in food and nutrition security and improved livelihoods. In a welcome address, the Principal, Kwadaso College of Agriculture, Albert Appiah Amoakoh, commended the benefactors and the ministry for the equipment as it would go a long way to bridge the gap between classroom instructions and practical application. Credit: graphic.com.gh