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CCLEAr Quar terly Newsletter. Vol .3

With the sponsorship of the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), CCLEAr

Agribusiness Incubator has begun the commercialization of agribusiness in the grasscutter value chain in Ghana.

The CCLEAr/WAAPP collaboration project titled “creating competitive young entrepreneurs in grasscutter business” started in July, 2015 with capacity building and skills development training in the Eastern, Central and Greater Accra regions where there is significant grasscutter production. The main objective of the grasscutter project is to promote susta inable agr ibus iness through the commercialization of research technologies and innovations in the grasscutter value chain for youth interested in agribusiness.

Inside this Issue

World Bank Team Endorses UniBRAIN IncubationProgramme

CCLEAr Incubating Smallscale Incubators Pg 5

Pg 4

Profile of

lncubatee for the Quarter

CCAFS Policy Advocacy Pg 8

CCLEAr Agribusiness Corner

Ongoing Scientific and Business Projects inCollaboration with CCLEAr Pg 12

Our Value Chains

Pig Farmers Receive

Bootstrap Financing Pg 3

Overviewof CCLEAr Incubation Services Pg 2

Pig

Poultry

Pg 7

Pg 8New Director for CSIR-ARI

Cattle

Humbeg Farms Provides Mentorship and Coaching to Incbatees of CCLEAr Pg 6

Grasscutter

Cont. on page 10

Hands-on training in grasscutter production

CCLEAr/WAAPP Promotes Grasscutter Agribusiness in Ghana

Pg 12

AGRI-INFO

The CCLEAr AgriBusiness Incubator has been in the forefront of l ivestock agr ibus iness commercialization in Ghana for the past few years with sponsorship from DANIDA-funded UniBRAIN programme through the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).

Livestock incubation activities for the past few quarters centred on promotion of agribusiness innovations and technology commercialization towards sustainable agribusiness enterprises development. The incubator has trained over 1085 livestock entrepreneurs, and provided bootstrap financial support to about 33 business startups in various livestock value chains.

It is important to mention that many of the livestock entrepreneurs have realized significant improvement in their businesses, and many have

2

reported expansions and prospects for engaging more workers and increased income. CCLEAr continues to work with its partners to ensure effective provision of services and products to customers. WAAPP and SDF have made significant investment contributions to the incubator towards promoting agribusiness in Ghana in the last few years, and CCLEAr is most grateful for the gesture. The crucial role of mentorship and coaching continues to be highlighted in our incubation programme and several clients have praised the programme, especially the technical orientation and marketing arrangements of the CCLEAr business model. We l o o k f o r w a r d t o w o r k i n g w i t h m o r e entrepreneurs who seek to add value to their products, and other incubatees in the coming years.

Training Programme The incubation programme of CCLEAr includes technical and business trainings categorized into 7 components:

of CCLEAr incubation Services

Accelerated incubation trainingThis has a one month duration for clients who require training in specific value chains or some aspects of their business.

Agribusiness consultingThis category of training is designed to address gaps in knowledge and skills of entrepreneurs in specified areas.

Customized training This category has a duration of six months and forms part of the full incubation course. The training is conducted fortnightly for selected incubatees, but opened to the general public.

Cont. on page 6

O v e r v i e w

Volume 3

Quar terly Newsletter

Message from the Chief Executive Officer

Dr. E.K Adu

T h e p i g i n d u s t r y p r o v i d e s g r e a t b u s i n e s s opportunities, along the value chain, and quite a number of SMEs are engaged in the chain for their livelihood. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture estimates indicate that there are more than 145, 000 pig farmers in Ghana, with a stock population of 1,500,000; and an estimated annual sale of about 920 pigs. Whilst pork has been recommended by nutritionist and meat scientists as gout free and wholesome for human consumption, local production is only enough to meet 40% of domestic needs. Demand for pork products in Ghana is largely met by imports including 'pig feet'.

In order to promote business in the pig industry CCLEAr in collaboration with CSIR-Animal Research I n s t i t u t e a n d M O FA i m p l e m e n t e d t h e p i g agribusiness commercialization project code named; “Creating Competitive Entrepreneurs in the Pig Value Chain in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana” with sponsorship from the Skills Development Fund (SDF) under the COTVET project.

The project which focused on capacity building and investment support for selected pig farmers with the v iew to commercia l iz ing technologies and innovations for lucrative pig businesses within the pig value chain, trained closed to 600 pig farmers in 10 districts of the Greater Accra Region; namely Ga South, Ga West, Ga Central, Ga East, Shai Osudoku, Kpone-Katamanso, Ningo-Prampram, Tema, Ada East and Ada West.

The capacity building and skills development training workshops treated topics in pig housing and husbandry practices, feed and nutrition of pigs, breed selection and breeding of pig, health care and disease management in pig production, marketing and general innovations in pig production. The training provided a platform for participants to discuss challenges and constraints hampering business growth in the industry and possible solutions.

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) is a DANIDA-Ghana Government project designed to respond to

the skills and capacity building requirements of SMEs and start-ups in agribusiness. The CCLEAr-SDF sponsored training equipped pig farmers in the Greater Accra Region with the appropriate technologies and innovations to manage profitable pig businesses. Participants admitted their deficiencies and limitations in the business of pig production, and commended the organizers and sponsors of the programme, indicating how the workshop has opened their business horizon to appreciate the vast business opportunities within the pig industry.

Following the training, a number of promising pig entrepreneurs were shortlisted based on their business profile and potential viability of the various

To Expand Their Business

Cont. on page 4

3

AGRI- INFO

CCLEAr/SDF supported pigs for Kasseh, Ada East

Feed support for Pig farmers

PIG FARMERS IN GREATER ACCRA REGION RECEIVE

Bootstrap Financing

enterprises. Of the 36 pig farmers v is i ted, 20 were considered for the bootstrap f i n a n c i n g i n t h e f o r m o f improved breeds of pigs, h o u s i n g i n f r a s t r u c t u r e support, CSIR-Animal Research Institute formulated Agro-Industrial By-Products (AIBPs) feed and itemized equipment including weighing scales, etc.

C o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n o f t e c h n o l o g i e s i n c l u d i n g formulated AIBPs, processing and marketing innovations are aimed at re-orienting the business perspective of many pig entrepreneurs to adopt innovations and practices that will promote sustainable pig businesses in Ghana.

T h e p r o j e c t s u c c e s s f u l l y demonstrated the profitability of using the CSIR-Animal Research Institute formulated AIBPs feed, which is capable of growing pigs faster for the market within 4-6 months instead of the 10-15 months under normal practice.

On the 5th of May, 2015 CCLEAr received a delegation from the World Bank led by Mr. William Hanson on an official visit. The visit was an initiative of FARA to i n t r o d u c e t h e U n i B R A I N a g r i b u s i n e s s i n c u b a t i o n programme to development agencies and the business community, and to show the potential impact of agribusiness incubation in the fight against p o v e r t y , h u n g e r , unemployment, etc.

The high profile meeting was chaired by the Executive Director of FARA Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo. Other officials from FARA at the meeting included Mr. Alex Ariho

UniBRAIN Facility Co-ordinator, and Dr. Pia Chuzu. Also present was Mr. Dan Acquaye CEO of Agri-IMPACT Consult and officials of CCLEAr, as well as incubatees and graduate interns. Some incubatees and interns shared t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e s o n t h e incubation programme, and underscored the impact on their business.

The technical tra in ing and m e n t o r s h i p a s p e c t o f t h e i n c u b a t i o n w e r e h i g h l y commended as assurance for sustainable agribusiness growth.The interactive discussions and informal conversations with incubatees and management of CCLEAr gave the team an indepth understanding of how the UniBRAIN model works and the potential to generate sustainable e n t e r p r i s e s i n l i v e s t o c k agribusiness.

The team also visited enterprises of some clients and the IMO Center established by CCLEAr at the CSIR-ARI.

At the farm of Mr. Samuel Tuffour, one of the incubatees, who shared his success stories following his incubation at C C L E A r , t h e t e a m g o t t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e i m p a c t o f i n c u b a t i o n o n l i v e s t o c k businesses.

World Bank Delegation Endorse UniBRAIN Incubation Strategy for Agribusiness Devlopment

World bank Rep. at Delco Farms

Pig Farmers Receive Bootstrap Investment ...

Cont’d. on page 3

4

Mr. William Hanson, WB representative in a chat with CCLEAr incubatees

Volume 3

Quar terly Newsletter

Incubation of agribusiness has been found to be an effective model in promoting sustainable enterprise development along the livestock value chain and some entrepreneurs have learned from the CCLEAr agribusiness incubation model. “What Farmer Brown is doing is in itself incubation, and I'm fascinated at the business innovation and impact he is making in the grasscutter value chain.” said Alex Ariho, the UniBRAIN Facility Co-Ordinator at FARA, when the DANIDA review team visited Farmer Brown on 19th May, 2015.

Farmer Brown is an incubatee of the first cohort of CCLEAr and a famous grasscutter entrepreneur in the Greater Accra Region. Apart from the intensive production of domesticated grasscutter, housed in well-designed cages, Farmer Brown operates a small Grasscutter and Rabbit Training Centre where he imparts the knowledge and skills learnt from the CCLEAr business trainings to his network of out-grower farmers.

The business proposition of Farmer Brown is to run successful agribusiness enterprises, whilst mentoring and providing technical training to support other entrepreneurs in the value chain to run sustainable business enterprises. He has through this strategy built a network of entrepreneurs for the commercialization of sustainable grasscutter agribusinesses.

Making a presentation to the DANIDA review team, Farmer Brown explained the business dynamics of his model, and said

CCLEAr Incubating

“building the capacity of your clients and business partners is the best insurance for your business”. He believes that extending the training and learnings from CCLEAr to his outgrower business partners is strategic for his

operations. This way “it o f f e r s m e t h e opportunity to master the business issues and connect the gaps and network key actors to e n s u r e s u s t a i n a b l e supplies to meet demand f o r g r a s s c u t t e r products.”

M r . A l e x A r i h o , t h e UniBRAIN Facility Co-Ordinator who led the DANIDA team to CCLEAr could not hide his feelings o n t h i s b u s i n e s s approach, and described the business model of

F a r m e r B r o w n a s a “ m i n i a t u r e incubator” and concluded that CCLEAr was infact also incubating smallscale incubators.” The DANIDA review team was full of admiration of this impressive business model, which had made such phenomenal impact within the short period of CCLEAr intervention.

Over 230 people made up of 130 g r a s s c u t t e r a n d 1 0 0 r a b b i t entrepreneurs have received training and mentorship at the Farmer Brown Training Centre. According to Farmer Brown, weekends are his busy days when customers file pass for their pack of grasscutter or rabbit products; and “it could be live animals, fresh meat, khebab or grilled meat, etc.”

Smallscale Incubators In Ghana

Farmer Brown explaining his incubation model to DANIDA Review team

AGRI- INFO

5

Cont. on page 9

building the capacity of your clients

and business partners is

the best insurance for

your business

Humbeg Farms, a consortium partner of CCLEAr ABI is located in the Anum community in the Eastern Region of Ghana on the H o h o e r o a d . T h e H u m b e g commercial poultry farm, was born out of the spirit and ambition of 'humble beginnings' which impregnated Mr. Jonas Osafo Adamu. Jonas graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi and during his National Service at the Afariwa Farms he became very convinced of the p o t e n t i a l a n d b u s i n e s s opportunity in the l ivestock sector.

According to Mr. Jonas Osafo Adamu, he started Humbeg Farms with Gh¢4,800 in 2006 and today the farm is valued over Gh¢8 million the equivalent of USD 2.7 million. The farm has a layer stock of 40,000 birds and other livestock species including sheep, pigs, guinea fowls, etc. The fantastic

bus iness success stor ies of Humbeg Farms attracted CCLEAr to adopt Mr. Adamu as a partner of the consort to lead the business m e n t o r s h i p a n d c o a c h i n g programme, especially for the many young graduates in the w a k e o f r i s i n g g r a d u a t e unemployment.

CCLEAr has referred many clients

to Humbeg Farms and many have come back excited and fully convinced that there is real business in the livestock sector.

Mentorship is central to the CCLEAr business proposition, and Humbeg Farms serves as a unique role model to our young graduates and SMEs.

Humbeg Farms

Provides Mentorship and Coaching to Incbatees of CCLEAr

insert : Mr. Jonas Adamu Manager of Humbeg Farms

Jonas Adamu mentoring clients from CCLEAr

6

Bootstrap Financing This is in-kind financial support for business stabilization and expansion for profitable operations.

Mentorship and coachingClients are linked to successful agribusiness entrepreneurs, business professionals and experts to provide coaching and mentorship services to start-ups and SMEs.

CCLEAr incubation ServicesCont’d. from page 2

Cont. on page 9

Volume 3

Quar terly Newsletter

Augustina Tawiah

is an incubatee of the second cohort in the pig value chain. She has her farm located at Amarhia in the Adentan Municipality. The 33 year old Augustina first had her piggery sited at Ashiyie near Foster Home, but annually suffered from floods because the farm was located within a flood-proned area which often resulted in losses. There were also environmental concerns from the stench and flies, often leading to confrontation with her neighbours.

According to Augustina, when she joined the CCLEAr programme in May, 2014 she was advised to relocate the farm onto a well-drained site. “Immediately I acquired a piece of land at Amarhia, and with financial support from CCLEAr I constructed a 12 unit piggery structure with the capacity to house over 200 pigs”.

The incubatee currently has an average stock of 147 pigs and has acquired improved breeds of pigs from

the University of Ghana Research Station at Nungua on the advice of CCLEAr to upgrade her breeds. Augustina has also been regular at the CCLEAr agribusiness trainings which provide innovative management methods and practices for profitable business. According to Augustina, the training on record-keeping has assisted her in the profitability analysis of her business. “Besides, the mentorship and coaching has been very useful in my business, especially from Mrs. Grace Okai my official mentor ” she noted.

Augustina has increased her income by almost 60% and has employed 2 more workers making a total of 3, with 4 on part time basis, whilst a number of households provide various services. “I have really benefited from CCLEAr and my business is progressing profitably. I advise all you who are into pig production to learn workable innovations from CCLEAr”; Augustina confessed.

Augustina's flood-proned farm

AGRI- INFO

7

Of lncubatee for the Quarter

Happy Augus�na, a�er reloca�ng her farm

Besides, the mentorship

and coaching have been

very useful in my business

The Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security platform for the West African sub-region organized a workshop from 17th to 19th December, 2014 at the Mensvic Hotel in Accra to validate the monitoring and evaluation framework for policy planning towards achieving sustainable CCAFS systems.

The workshop brought together p a r t i c i p a n t s f r o m m a j o r institutions and development organizations including MOFA, CSIR, CCLEAr, EPA, MMDAs, CSOs, etc. The 3 day programme took participants through the M&E framework to validate indicators and tools for tracking the impact of policy planning t o w a r d s C l i m a t e C h a n g e Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

Dr. E.K. Adu, Deputy Director of CSIR-ARI opened the workshop with emphasis on the critical role of policy in achieving results in t h e c l i m a t e c h a n g e

responsiveness of agricultural p r o g r a m m e s . T h e M & E w o r k s h o p i d e n t i f i e d k e y stakeholders and their role in policy orientations on CCAFS.

Participants deliberated on the p o l i c y r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f stakeholders and the relevant indicators that would be used to track evidence of CCAFS in policies and programs at the districts, regional and national levels.

Climate change development has become critical on international development platforms and programmes and development s t a k e h o l d e r s a r e a t e v e r y decision to implement climate change responsive policies. This is why CCLEAr and the CSIR-ARI are advocating CCAFS policies in l i v e s t o c k p r o g r a m m e s t o p r o m o t e s u s t a i n a b l e environmental practices.

CCLEAr Participates in

CCAFS Policy Advocacy New Appointments

8

CSIR Appoints New Director for CSIR-ARI

A signif icant appointment within the CSIR during the quarter was the appointment of Dr. E.K. Adu as the Director of the Animal Research Institute. Dr. Adu has served in the Animal Research Institute as Deputy Director for 6 years and he comes along with experience and good understanding of the challenges and problems facing development of the livestock sector.

Many are the staff and workers of CSIR, especially those of the ARI who believe that under the d i r e c t o r s h i p o f D r . A d u affectionately referred to as E.K. bus iness wi l l p i tch in the l i v e s t o c k i n d u s t r y .CCLEAr, located within the precincts of the CSIR-Animal Research Inst itute has an umbilical relationship with CSIR-ARI as the lead consortium p a r t n e r a n d h o s t o f t h e incubator.

Some participants at the CCAFS Workshop in Accra

Volume 3

Quar terly Newsletter

Cont’d. from page 5

AGRI- INFO

9

“I take advantage of customers of various products and services along the grasscutter value chain to expand my business in production, processing, distribution, training and mentorship, and I am never out of business” said Farmer Brown.

Farmer Brown also provides support for startup grasscutter farmers in the form of breeding stock to assist them establish their business. The interesting aspect of Farmer Brown's micro- incubation initiative is the provision of seed grasscutter to startup businesses who in turn sell their animals to him. This ensures availability and constant supply of grasscutter for his numerous customers. Grasscutter farmers producing for Farmer Brown have assurance of market for their animals.

Farmer Brown's Training School for Outgrower farmers

Mr. Mikkel Klim of DANIDA speaking to Farmer Brown

Small Scale Incubators In Ghana

Marketing Services Provides a network of marketing opportunities and services to clients to facilitate their operations e.g: Cold van rental services Sales and purchase support services Market networking services

CCLEAr Graduate Internship Programme Provides a platform for business linkage, partnership and collaboration with relevant stakeholders and business actors

Cont’d. from page 6

CCLEAr Incubation Services

Highlighting the business potential and the associated jobs and income opportunities in grasscutter business will ultimately attract the Ghanaian youth to invest and manage sustainable enterprises to achieve sustained supply of grasscutter to meet increasing demand.

So far the WAAPP/CCLEAr project has trained over 300 youth including some physically challenged groups, to provide them with the needed skills and innovations for efficient grasscutter business operations. Under the project 200 youth received support for facility set up in grasscutter bus iness. Each b e n e f i c i a r y y o u t h r e c e i v e d o n e 3 x 3 grasscutter cage, start-up breeding stock of 5 grasscutters (4 does and 1 buck), medication, pe l let ized feed etc . The grasscutter incubatees (incubation clients) were selected following the capacity building and skills development training workshops conducted by CCLEAr at Abokobi, Bawjiase, Akim-Oda and Koforidua. The grasscutter incubatees can

be found in Somanya, Koforidua, Suhum, Kitase, Kade, Oda, Kasoa, Mankesim, Ga South, Ga North, Ga East, Adentan and La Kwantanang.

According to Mr. John K. Nyameasem, a research scientist and grasscutter expert of the CSIR-ARI, the grasscutter industry has the potential to contribute substantially towards socio-economic development of Ghana. Grasscutter as one of the livestock value chains supported by CCLEAr and the WAAPP initiative is timely to boost production in order to take advantage of the demand and market for the meat to generate business and income. The tasty meat of grasscutter is not only preferred for its quality, but considered a delicacy..Demand for grasscutter meat, especially in the major cities and urban communities in Ghana is quite high. In addition, the animal is also widely consumed in some Africa countries and among Africans in the diaspora. The global potential for marketing grasscutter prompted CCLEAr to consider its commercialization under the

CCLEAr officials visit F.M. Danso Sex determination for grasscutter breeding

Exhibits of Grasscutter Feed Grasscutter training at Bawjiase, C/R

10

Cont’d. from page 1

CCLEAr/WAAPP Promotes Grasscutter Agribusiness in Ghana

Volume 3

Quar terly Newsletter

U n i B R A I N a g r i b u s i n e s s i n c u b a t i o n programme implemented in Africa on the platform of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)

CCLEAr is the only incubator within the UniBRAIN fraternity incubating businesses in the livestock value chain, with a grasscutter agribusiness commercialization model. Other livestock value chains promoted by CCLEAr include pigs, poultry and cattle (dairy and beef).

Promoting the grasscutter business in Ghana has the potential to contribute significantly towards job creation and income generation; and the youth particularly are encouraged to participate in the business of grasscutter for sustainable livelihood.

Production of grasscutter is popular in southern Ghana, but there are prospects for the rodent in the northern part of Ghana. According to Mr. Yaaka Dani, an accountant with the Tamale Barclays Bank, the returns are unbelievably remarkable, more than 300%. A number of entrepreneurs in the Tamale

Grasscutter capacity building workshop, Abokobi

Skills development training, Koforidua

AGRI- INFO

11

Metropolis have been inspired into the grasscutter business, and some have approached CCLEAr for assistance.

The Bawjiase grasscutter workshop participants

Commercialization of IMO

Construction of Pig Training Centre

Commercialization of ARIBRO Broiler Bird

Grasscutter Pelletized Feed Production

Commercialization of Poultry Hatchery Unit

Construction of CCLEAr Agribusiness Incubation Centre

On-going Scientific and

Business Projects in Collaboration

with CCLEAr& Partners

CCLEAr Agribusiness Corner

Contact: 0302983362 0243826434

Cold van rental services

CSIR-ARI Cold Stores supplies;

High quality meat, yogurt, etc.

AIBP feed that grows pigs for the market in

4-6 months

Formulated pelletized

grasscutter feed

CC

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Desig

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Print:

Cow

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# 0

244990388

Sponsors:

Members of the Editorial Committee

Mr. Jonas Adams- Chairman Ms. Aba Eshun - Member

Mr. Vincent Botchway - Member Mr. Charles Aboyella - Member

Partners: Humbeg Farms (private commercial farm)

Heifer International (NGO)

CSIR - Animal Research Institute

University of Ghana, Legon

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

CCLEAr welcomes sponsorship for its newsletter Official Contact

Tel: 233(0)302983362/0264785992/0264751101

Email: Info@cclear.org or nhyirapapa@yahoo.com

www. cclear.org