Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub

Horticulture Research and Development Investment in Ghana

🌱📈 Last week, Dr. Freda Asem, Hub coordinator of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub, and Dr. Peninah Yumbya, East Africa Regional Hub Manager Facilitated a Horticulture Investment Workshop in Accra, Ghana. This workshop was organized by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub as a side event of the , organized by International Centre for Evaluation and Development at ISSER, University of Ghana, Legon.🌍🎓

Experts shared their insights on research and development related barriers to horticulture investment in Ghana. Under the watchship of visiting Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture management entity members based at of California, Davis, Associate Director Archie Jarman and Project Manager Kristen Becker, the convening drew horticulture stakeholders from all sectors including Government, Academia, NGOs, international development organisations and private sector along with other Horticulture Innovation Lab members, including project P*s, Dr. Atanda Oladejo, Dr. Augusto Bock and Mr. Adama Ouedraogo, who were present on the day.🌿🔬🤝

This successful workshop in adds to others organized in , and . We’re looking forward to upcoming workshops being held in other regions, including , , , the , Sri Lanka and .🌍✨

🌿 Strengthening Horticulture in West Africa 🌿

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub held its annual meeting as a side event at the , organized by the International Centre for Evaluation and Development at ISSER, University of Ghana, Legon. The event brought together principal investigators, the management of the Hub and partners to discuss the progress and impact of our horticulture projects across . Dr Naalamle Amissah, the West Africa Regional Hub Manager moderated the event.

Key Highlights of the day included:
A presentation on “Innovations in Horticulture: Global Perspectives and Local Applications,” by Archie Jarman, Associate Director for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture

Insightful presentations on updates from various projects, including:
“Promotion of Food and Nutrition Security in the West African Sub-region through Indigenous, Neglected and Underutilized Fruits and Vegetables,” by Project PI, Dr. Freda Asem,
“Enhancing the Production and Consumption of Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables to Improve Diets in Ghana and Mali,” by Project PI, Dr. Gloria Essilfie.
“Youth Participation in the Production of Indigenous Vegetables and Fruits Using Climate-smart Approached Leveraging Locally Available Resources,” by Project PI, Dr. Atanda Oladejo.
“Strengthening the horticulture sector in Guinea-Bissau,” by In-country Project Coordinator, Dr. Augusto Bock, and
“Strengthening Horticulture Value Chains in Niger,” by Mr. Adama Ouedraogo, project partner.

Concluding discussions of the meeting centred on:
Sustainability synergies and collaborations across projects
Innovations in postharvest technologies, value-added products and digital tools
Strategies for long-term impact and scalability

The meeting was a resounding success, reflecting our commitment to improving the horticulture sector in through collaboration, innovation and community engagement. 🌍🌱

🌱 Field Visit to Guinea-Bissau: Progress and Innovation in Horticulture 🌱

Our Hub Researcher, Kolog J Dokbila, made a field visit to our project in Guinea-Bissau to monitor the progress and developments firsthand last week. It was an inspiring and productive trip, showcasing the incredible advancements and dedication of our team and partners.

The visit revealed the development and construction of several horticulture innovative technologies, including:
Chimney Dryers, an efficient drying solution for preserving produce.
Line Dryers, streamlining the drying process for increased productivity.
Clay Pot Storage Systems, a traditional, yet effective storage solution to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

Jude explored the project sites of all project partners, observing the progress made, and also held meetings to engage in discussions with all project partners to review the progress of work and strategize ways forward.

The visit reaffirmed the impact of our collaborative efforts in transforming the horticulture sector in Guinea-Bissau. The innovations being developed will not only enhance productivity, but also ensure sustainable and effective solutions for small-scale producers, paving the way for a more sustainable and productive agricultural landscape in Guinea-Bissau.

🌿🌍Freda Asem, PhD and Naalamle Amissah, PhD gave talks at the Botany 2024 Conference dubbed “Resilience in a Changing World in Grand Rapids,” Michigan on June 18. Dr. Asem spoke on the Potential of Indigenous and Underutilized Fruits and Vegetables to address Food and Nutrition Security in West Africa, while Dr. Amissah spoke on Underutilized Traditional African Crops: The Future of Agrifood Systems Development in Ghana. Their insightful talks emphasized the importance of traditional African crops while addressing research gaps and highlighting opportunities for collaboration🌱.

🌱🌍We are excited to host Josephine Nyame, a Trellis fellow from TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY as part of her 14-day in-country internship. Josephine is a graduate student pursuing a master's in Agricultural and Resource Economics. She will spend the next 14 days working with the project team of one of our projects titled “Promoting Food and Nutrition Security through Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables in Ghana and Mali,” which is led by Freda Asem, PhD and Naalamle Amissah, PhD.

The Trellis Fund Fellowship Program (TFFP) is spearheaded by Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and supported by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture with funding from USAID - US Agency for International Development. The TFFP program links graduate students with agricultural expertise from partner universities in the United States with organizations in East and West Africa, South Asia and Central America. This initiative generates mutual benefits for both the students and in-country stakeholders as fellows collaborate on short-term projects to address horticultural challenges faced by local farmers.

📈Follow us for more updates on this exciting initiative!

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This week, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub managers Naalamle Amissah, PhD and Freda Asem, Ph.D based at the University of ghana, are participating in the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture 2024 Annual Meeting in Antigua, Guatemala hosted by the Central America Regional Hub based at EAP Zamorano. This meeting is a collaborative effort that includes the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture management entity based at the University of California, Davis, the International Advisory Board, the other Regional Hub managers based at the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED) and FORWARD Nepal, and local Principal Investigators from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and Acceso.

Naalamle Amissah, PhD and Freda Asem, PhD have been actively involved in discussions centered on the outputs from the West African projects. These projects are primarily focused on the production, preservation, and postharvest management of African indigenous fruits and vegetables, with the objective of promoting their consumption. The ultimate aim of these projects is to reduce postharvest losses and enhance food and nutrition security. Key points of discussion also included methodologies to measure project impacts and strategies to strengthen the projects through sustainable collaborations within the region.

Follow us for more updates on the progress of these exciting projects – made possible with funding from the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, as part of the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative.

Photos courtesy of: Heather Hayashi, Horticulture Innovation Lab and Leonel Antonio Contreras, Zamorano University.

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub hosted a delegation from East-West Seed (Maaike Groot, Global Head of Communications and Public Affairs; Stuart Morris, Director East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer; and Jemima Djah, East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Country Manager, Ghana) to discuss potential areas for collaboration.

East-West Seed is a fast-growing, multicultural organization headquartered in Thailand with the mission to improve the income of smallholder farmers through the production and supply of high-quality vegetable seeds. East-West Seed is currently one of the 10 largest vegetable seed companies in the world, with exports to over 75 countries. They have played an important role in the improvement of tropical vegetable varieties that are adapted to local markets and growing conditions.

With the strengthening of seed systems at the core of every project under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub, these collaborative efforts are expected to yield mutual benefits to both parties.

Exciting news from Guinea-Bissau!

In a country where agricultural livelihoods are largely reliant on a single crop, cashew, diversification is recommended. Against this backdrop, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture is launching a new project to strengthen the horticulture sector of Guinea-Bissau. With collaborative partnerships and funding from the University of California, Davis-based Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture as part of the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative. This 36-month long project will be implemented in Bissau (SAB), Cacheu and Oio to sustainably improve the productivity of the horticulture sector of Guinea-Bissau.

The intervention is expected to achieve the following outcomes:
• Institutional capacity of teachers and technicians strengthened through internships and exchange programmes and equipment of laboratories to improve research capacities.
• Extension activities strengthened in three demonstration centres that will be set up in various locations for easy access by farmers, to showcase appropriate technologies for the horticultural sector.
• Farmer training programmes established, through farmer field schools that will be set up in key production areas.
• Women and young people involved through the involvement of women's and youth groups in value chain activities such as input sales, post-harvest handling and marketing.
• Seed systems strengthened, in collaboration with INPA, by carrying out field trials.
• Partnership and distribution of the seed system developed, promoting collaboration between public and private seed actors in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau and assessment of the landscape of seed system stakeholders in Guinea-Bissau.

This project launch took place at the Dunia Hotel in Bissau with representatives of the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INPA), Ajuda de Desenvolvimento de Povo para Povo Guinea Bissau, (ADPP), Confederação das Associações de Mulheres de Actividades Económicas (AMAE), Universidade Pública da Guiné-Bissau Amilcar Cabral - UAC, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Ministry of National Education among others in attendance. Key implementing partners of the project include ADPP, AMAE, INPA, UAC, University of California, Davis and Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, West Africa Regional Hub based at the University of Ghana.

Learn more about our efforts to promote diversification and sustainable development through horticulture innovations by following us here and on;
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