News
African agro businesses empowered to access and thrive in EU markets under ITA’s Lab Innova initiative
Italian trade promotion body, Italian Trade Agency (ITA), has organized an interactive skill acquisition session for businesses and entrepreneurs in Africa’s agro-food value chain under a structured program dubbed “Lab Innova for Africa”—a capacity building initiative on scaling African agro exports to the European market.
The week-long training featured selected African agribusiness owners and entrepreneurs in a high-impact training programme designed to equip participants with the technical, managerial, and market-access skillsets required to compete successfully in the European Union (EU).
Lab Innova is a specialised training programme for the agro-food sector in Africa, promoted by the Italian Trade Agency in close collaboration with key Italian partners, including Macfrut—one of Europe’s leading agro-food trade fairs.
Laura Ranalli, Italian Ambassador to Ghana (4th from left), with facilitators at the just-ended training program
In an interview, ITA’s Accra director, Mr. Luigi Puca, said the week-long interactive session was to get participants familiarized to the specific export requirements that would empower them to trade in the European market
“Through these trainings, we update African countries on Italy’s economic policy and legal frameworks in order to enhance their competitiveness and readiness for international trade. It’s also a win-win situation because through information exchanges, our small and medium enterprises will grow up together with their African counterparts,” said Mr. Puca
Broadly, the training aims to increase the technical and managerial capacity of African agri-food companies by equipping participating businesses with the requisite skillset and operational interventions that meet EU standards. This is expected to facilitate their access to European markets and to build mutually beneficial partnerships with Italian firms.
Participants were taken through intensive courses focused on business management, negotiation, international marketing, food safety regulations, logistics, packaging solutions, and environmental sustainability, facilitated by ITA experts specialised in the selected topics.
According to Mr. Puca, the training offered an opportunity to showcase market-leading innovations and update participants about specific food safety protocols especially for agribusinesses and actors within the agro exports value chain.
He added: “We have a framework of regulations and laws that have to be known by foreign companies and foreign producers. With this training, we are not only focusing on the technical aspect or marketing aspect, but also talk about the legal framework that stays around international trade.”
Beyond skills development, Lab Innova serves as a launchpad for technology transfer and innovation, drawing inspiration from Italy’s highly successful agri-food district model. These districts—clusters of interconnected producers, processors, technology providers, and research institutions—have been central to Italy’s global competitiveness in agro-food exports.
The training is seen as a timely intervention considering the EU’s stringent export measures on food safety and quality standards, packaging, traceability and sustainability—requiring that local agro-businesses get acquainted with the needed strategies to access the European market.
On his part, training coordinator Uberto Trulli, described Lab Innova as a forward-looking and mutually beneficial initiative that will enhance the technical and trade capacity of value chain actors within the African agro-food export space.
“This collaboration seeks to enhance exposure and global competitiveness for African agribusinesses. The main goal and target for this project is to give technical instruments and assistance to agri-food African businesses and to create bonds and interaction with Italian companies,” he emphasized.
To him, Lab Innova is a win-win relationship that supports the Italian marketplace with high demand for tropical fruits in EU market whilst African businessmen can adopt Italian agri-food technology, irrigation systems and the tools.
A participant and president of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana—who is also the vice-president of the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters, Dr. Felix Kamassah said the initiative was highly impactful and insightful.
“The European market is a different market altogether, and I’m so excited because Lab Innova provides the opportunity for agribusinesses and entrepreneurs in Africa’s agro exports value chain to access and thrive in this competitive market,” he shared.
He added: “I’ve gained practical knowledge about the demand of the European market and how I could explore existing gaps and opportunities as an entrepreneur and exporter—including understanding product branding and packaging.”
This year’s Lab Innova will be climaxed with a five-day study tour at this year’s Macfrut event to be held in Rimini, Italy—that includes a guided tour of the exhibition, visit to company sites, business-to-business and networking sessions.
It was organized in partnership with local business associations and state institutions namely the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), and the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG).
ITA is the official government body responsible for promoting the trade interests of Italian businesses around the globe as well as attracting foreign investments into Italy—focusing highly on agribusiness, manufacturing and technology transfer. It is also the bridge between Italy and global markets leading trade, investment and cooperation.
Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) successfully holds the African Women’s Health and Wealth Conference (AWoHW) with a call for research and investment into women’s healthcare.
It also called for robust financial systems and encouraged women to generate wealth as well as prioritise their health.
The conference held at the Shippers House in Accra on Thursday, March 5, 2026, was on the theme, “Championing Inclusive healthcare and finance systems for African women and girls.”
Speaking on behalf of Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sabia Kpekata, Programme Officer at the Ministry, said, Financial inclusion remains one of the most critical pathways to women’s empowerment and achieving sustainable development.
According to the minister, it is for this reason that the government continues to support initiatives that expand access to affordable credit, strengthen women-led enterprises and build financial literacy.
“Institutions such as MASLOC, the Women’s Development Bank and other targeted financing mechanisms play a critical role in closing the financial inclusion gap,” she added.
Against this backdrop, she stated that the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), further strengthens this agenda. By mandating progressive representation of women in decision-making spaces across public and private sectors, the Act ensures that women are not only beneficiaries of financial and healthcare systems, but architects of those systems.
“Women must sit at the policy table where budgets are approved, health priorities are set, and economic policies are designed. This is why the Ministry calls on all stakeholders to push for the effective implementation of the Affirmative Act,” she stated.
Furthermore, she noted that the conference called on everyone to move inclusion from talk to action, incorporating it in budgets, laws, health systems and corporate policies.
She added that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is committed to partnering with stakeholders to build inclusive healthcare and financial systems that serve every woman and girl, regardless of location, income, or social status.
“Let us strive to build a Ghana where opportunity is not determined by gender and where systems are designed to uplift, protect and empower,’ she noted.
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, said many women suffer from mental health issues as a result of health financing, adding that this is why President Mahama has initiated the Accra Reset to tackle issues relating to women.
Additionally, she commended the Ghana Enterprises Agency for consistently promoting women entrepreneurs.
Nana Oye Bampoe further touched on some government initiatives targeted at women, adding that the government is intentional about women’s empowerment.
On his part, the convener, Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, said, “Today is not just a conference – It is a declaration. It is a declaration that African women and girls will no longer stand at the margins of systems that determine their health, their wealth, and their future.”
According to her, it is a declaration that sustainability is not a slogan for them, rather, it is a strategy, a commitment and a promise.
She said the greatest resource any organisation, community, nation or continent has is its human resources, adding that the continent’s economic prosperity depends on the quality, productivity and capacity of its labour force, including men, women and young people.
The convener noted that where both genders have equal opportunities and operate at near optimal levels, there will be greater economic Expansion and output for the prosperity of all Africans
Additionally, she stated that to drive inclusive economic growth, reduce poverty, amongst others, there is a need for an intentional and clear alignment to economic and social dynamics in specific contexts.
“This will in turn positively impact the involvement and contributions to drive the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the overall economic prosperity of Africa,” she added.
She further stated that as 2030 approaches, WISA which officially launched on May 1, 2025 in Partnership with the UN Global Compact on behalf of all Women of Africa and of African Descent, will mark a new beginning to accelerate growth towards the closure of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gaps, by being deliberate to center women at the heart of implementation and compliance.
The Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod Jewellery, Getrude Emefa Donkor, said, Saving alone cannot make one financially sound, adding that investing and having other sources of income is the best way to go.
She also provided some tips for women, calling for discipline in spending, and consistency in saving behaviour, as well as inculcating the habit of budgeting.
WiSA is a Coordinating Pan-African Organization that works with other CSOs, NGOs, Corporate Institutions, local and International Development Organizations and individuals to bring all women, men, young people and women groups together (especially those at the grassroots level) to foster the achievement of the SDGs across Africa.
WiSA stands for the development of new perspectives and catalytic ideas towards accelerating growth for the achievement of the SDGs, including closing the Gender Inequality gap.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
News
Promoting Gender Equity In Governance: Felicia Adjei highlights importance of proportional representation
The Member of Parliament for Kintampo South, Felicia Adjei, has made a statement in Parliament on the importance of proportional representation in promoting gender equity in governance.
Speaking in parliament yesterday, she noted that the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121) was a bold step toward encouraging women’s participation, but laws alone cannot guarantee fairness if the electoral system does not support inclusion.
She explained that proportional representation, particularly through Gender-Balance or “zebra” lists where parties alternate between male and female candidates, could help ensure equal opportunities for women in leadership.
The Kintampo MP was of the view that such a system promotes fairness by design rather than leaving representation to chance.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
