Features
Promoting agribusiness in Ghana
One area where Ghana can actively participate in promoting agribusiness is to ensure that as much as possible, the raw materials base is given to the country.
CULTIVATING RAW MATERIALS
We can show this by cultivating raw materials, which will be processed further for others who will need them to serve the needs of the country.
What we have to do as a country is to take a look at the needs and demands of society so as to be able to address the problem of agribusiness.
Agricultural production in Ghana covers a number of areas such as mangoes, pineapples, palm nuts, shea butter, and so many other things.
SPECIALISATION
What we need to do as a country is to encourage our people to go into specialisation of these crops and ensure that they are able to produce them in great quantity.
To be able to do this effectively, we need to use modern scientific methods. We need to also treat the soil very well so that whatever we put in the ground will come up and grow very well unlike others that may not be able to grow very well because of diseases in the soil.
SOIL TREATMENT
Soil treatment is very important here because that is what will keep away pests and others from destroying the crops we put in the soil.
If we pay attention to soil treatment, it will ensure that every thing we are doing comes up very well and that what we produce becomes healthy for consumption.
After being able to produce adequate raw materials – in whatever way we find it – we need to pay attention to transportation. Transportation may take various forms – road transport, air transport (depending on circumstances), and so on.
We may even carry some of the produce on the back of animals, that is, if that will be possible based upon circumstances of the times but if it is not possible, then we need to develop simple transportation systems. We need to get simple systems of transportation – what we may call Aboboya (tricycle) or very simple forms of transportation that may carry these produce from where they are produced to the processing centre.
PROCESSING
When they get to the processing centre, the machines that are available are then used to process them. If it pineapple, we will need to process into pineapple juice and we will do the same thing for mango, orange and other fruits that we may come across in that enclave.
We need to do this very well making sure that the right temperature and the right conditions are applied in all circumstances so that we will never go wrong.
APPLICABLE STANDARDS
In doing all these we will need to pay attention to applicable standards; applicable standards are very important here because any items that are meant for consumption in a human body will have to be produced in line with the applicable standards.
There are standards for all these products, for all agricultural products and it is important that we pay attention to all of them.
Once we pay attention to all of these applicable standards, what we are producing will be right, therefore, going wrong will be minimised. If you go wrong, you will be asked to go back and reproduce what you have done already and that will increase the cost.
So, it is important at all time that we all pay attention to standards right from the beginning, even from the farm and then at the factory to the coming of the foods or the coming of the products as well as bottling of the products.
Again, when these items are produced, we need to make sure that they are transported to the marketing centres in the right way if you have to put them in what we call coolers or refrigerators in small forms, we will have to do that so that along the line what we have produced for marketing will not go bad.
If we are able to do all these, the products processed will get to the market and then the consumer will start making use of them to his or her satisfaction but the point being made is that right from the farm through the cultivation of the products to the processing of their produce to the canning and bottling of the items, we need to make use of applicable standards.
If we make use of applicable standards, it will help us to be safe.
BENEFITS OF STANDARDS
When we make use of standards, first of all, they ensure safety of the consumer. Secondly, it ensures that public health is protected. Thirdly, it makes it possible for the right thing to be done right from the beginning, but if we don’t do this from the beginning things may go wrong and cost of production will go high.
So, as a country, it is possible to encourage agribusiness but everything must be done according to laid down standards so that our people will be fed with what is right.
We need to do this seriously and make sure that we produce to the best of our ability so that quality products will be the end result, which will bring quality life to our people and also bring in more revenue when we begin to export these things to external markets.
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
By Dr. Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society. This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
