Mr Irchad Razaaly, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Ghana, has visited mango farms that have benefited from the EU-funded West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP) to assess the impact of the interventions.
The visit was part of the EU Week Celebrations in Accra and included a delegation led by Dr Charles Kwame Sackey, Chief Technical Advisor for WACOMP-Ghana at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
During the tour, the delegation visited Hendy Farms, Akorley Packhouse, and a mango nursery located in Dodowa.
Mr Razaaly expressed his satisfaction with the project's impact and described the visit as insightful from a consumer perspective. He emphasized that the project aimed to assist more Ghanaian farmers in meeting certification requirements and gaining access to the EU market.
He also expressed his desire to see more Ghanaian mangoes in the European market.
Hendy Farms, which has a mango plantation and a processing unit for dry mangoes, has received support through e-marketing e-commerce training, branding, marketing programs, product packaging, and regulatory certification processes.
Akorley Packhouse has received WACOMP support through training on harvest and post-harvest management, including a documentary on mango harvesting.
Cotton Web Link, a greenhouse nursery, has benefited from a Sub-Contracting Matching Scheme, nursery management training, private extension training for youth, and capacity building on good mango agronomic practices.
Dr Sackey highlighted that WACOMP implementation in Ghana aligns with the government's industrial agenda.
He revealed that approximately 30,000 individuals, with women comprising 52 per cent of beneficiaries, have been trained in various capacities to enhance agricultural practices, certification processes, and decent work.
WACOMP is a partnership initiative between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the EU, with the goal of strengthening the trade competitiveness of West Africa and enhancing regional and international integration.
Funded through a €120 million contribution from the Regional Indicative Programme (RIP) for West Africa under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), WACOMP aims to enhance the production, value addition, and export capacities of the private sector.
In Ghana, the EU's contribution is €6.2 million, with an additional €150,000 from UNIDO, totalling €6.35 million for the programme.
WACOMP Ghana, launched in 2019 and set to conclude in 2024, is aligned with the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III) and UNIDO's mandate for inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
