A total of 30 Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) from Ghana's Northern Region have completed a training program focused on improved soybean varieties, good agricultural practices, and mechanization-oriented production. The training, held at the CSIR-SARI Technology Park in Nyankpala, near Tamale, aimed to equip AEAs with knowledge on varietal selection, land preparation, planting, and post-harvest handling. This initiative is part of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Phase II project, led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
The training covered key areas such as profitable, market-oriented, and climate-smart soybean production, as well as the introduction of new and improved soybean varieties suitable for mechanical harvesting. The mechanisation-suitable soybean varieties, including CSIR-SADEP, CSIR-Abush, and CSIR-SARI Soya 1, are early-maturing and have yield potentials of up to three tonnes per hectare. These varieties possess high pod clearance, making them well-suited for mechanised harvesting.
The TAAT Soybean Compact, a component of the African Development Bank's TAAT Programme, aims to boost soybean production, productivity, and income across Africa. The compact delivers high-yielding, climate-resilient seed varieties and improved agricultural technologies to smallholder farmers and young agripreneurs, with the goal of enhancing nutrition and economic opportunities by 2026.
Dr. Charles Nelimor, Focal Person for the soybean compact of TAAT Phase II project, facilitated the training. He emphasized that soybean profitability starts with making the right production decisions, from choosing an appropriate variety to managing the crop properly and harvesting it efficiently. Dr. Nelimor encouraged AEAs to consider input costs, labour requirements, harvesting efficiency, productivity, and market opportunities when advising farmers.
The training also demonstrated the role of the CSIR–SARI Agricultural Technology Park as a practical platform for connecting research innovations with extension personnel, farmers, and other agricultural stakeholders. AEAs were urged to share the knowledge with farmers within their jurisdictions, with the goal of enabling them to make better production and business decisions.
Participants, including Mr. Karim Musah and Madam Rabiatu Jumai Issah, lauded the training, saying it had exposed them to improved varieties and agricultural technologies that would benefit farmers. The training is expected to enhance soybean production and address labour constraints in the region.
The initiative is expected to have a positive impact on soybean production in Ghana, with the potential to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and young agripreneurs. The training program is part of a broader effort to enhance agricultural productivity and food security in Africa.
Key points
- The training program aimed to equip AEAs with knowledge on improved soybean varieties and agricultural practices to enhance soybean production and address labour constraints.
- The initiative is part of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Phase II project, led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
- The training covered key areas such as profitable, market-oriented, and climate-smart soybean production, as well as the introduction of new and improved soybean varieties suitable for mechanical harvesting.
