AMAATI and USAID- West African Trade and Investment Hub Inaugurates Fonio Processing Plant in Tamale
As part of efforts to enhance food security and economic opportunities within the Northern part of the country, management of the AMAATI company in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has commissioned FONIO PRODUCTION PLANT to boost fonio farming and its related activities in the Northern Region.
Located at Pagazaa, a suburb of the Tamale Metropolis in the Northern Region, the production plant will be producing 10 metric tons daily.
In her keynote address at the inaugural ceremony, the Deputy Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Grace Lang, said the United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is investing Ś742,000 (10.8 million Ghana Cedis) in fonio production to increase food security and improve farmers livelihoods in Northern Ghana.
She noted that this funding will support AMAATI, to expand its fonio processing capacity from three to ten metric tons per day at its factory in Tamale.
“Fonio isn’t just a grain; it’s a symbol of resilience, empowerment, and progress, for communities across Northern Ghana, especially for women who have limited access to land,” she said.
Ms Grace Lang stated that since 2021, USAID’s West Africa Trade and Investment Hub (WATIH) has been supporting AMAATI, which pioneered the revival of fonio in Northern Ghana, to develop a 1,000-hectare fonio farm, train 8,100 landladies and disenfranchised farmers, mainly women and youth, to produce and process fonio, to engage in good agricultural practices, and to export fonio worth $4.6 million (66.9 million Ghana Cedis).
“This factory represents our [USAID and AMAATI] joint commitment to develop the fonio market in West Africa. It will enable more women and youth in Northern Ghana to engage in fonio farming, and facilitate value-added manufacturing of the super grain for domestic consumption and export”, Lang added.
In his welcome remarks, Board Chairman of the AMAATI, Naa Sintaru Mahama indicated that, AMAATI over the 30 months has been working with the West Africa Trade and Investment Hub funded by the USAID to implement a project on empowering women and youth on fonio production.
He said the commission of the ten metric tons plant will bring a significant change to the fonio value chain and the fonio industry in West Africa.
He added that the new fonio production line will also increase the capacity of AMAATI in three folds, including envisaging to absorb not less 30,000 smallholders’ farmers in 5 years, improve their livelihoods and increase their incomes.
Naa Sintaru also mentions that the successful design, manufacturing and installation of this 10 metric tons fonio processing factory is part of the co-funding and partnership with USAID.
“This is the first and largest fonio processing factory in West Africa, ” he said.
In his closing remarks, the Paramount Chief of the Nanton traditional area Naa Mahamadu Bawa, while thanking the USAID for this partnership also call for more of such investment in Northern Ghana.
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.
About The Author
