Ghana – Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) Project

Transforming the Agricultural Sector Through Increased Competitiveness

ACDI/VOCA is improving Ghana’s agricultural sector by increasing competitiveness in domestic, regional and international markets through the USAID-funded Ghana Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) program..The program increases income for rural smallholders and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and will ultimately contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction in Ghana. With regional offices in Tamale, Techiman, Ho, Tema and Nkawkaw, as well as a main office in Accra, ACDI/VOCA has a broad geographic presence that allows for intensive, on-the-ground support.

ADVANCE contributes to USAID/Ghana’s Strategic Objective 6, “Increased competitiveness of Ghana’s agricultural sector in domestic, regional and international markets.” ADVANCE also contributes to the Global Food Security Response (GFSR) goal of increasing agricultural growth, stability and food security. GFSR seeks to double food production, double intraregional trade, sustain the agriculture growth process and reduce poverty. ADVANCE responds to all four of these objectives. It directly addresses the latter two goals by stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty, and indirectly addresses the first two goals by enhancing crop productivity and identifying market access interventions to increase trade.

ADVANCE has three components, each contributing to GFSR intermediate results:

• Component 1: Value chain competitiveness
• Component 2: Market access and development
• Component 3: Access to financial services

Through activities designed to transfer new and innovative technologies, ACDI/VOCA will help 60,000 farmers improve their production techniques, management skills and ability to engage in markets as reliable suppliers. A comprehensive value chain approach increases competitiveness at all levels, from producer to market. by introducing appropriate technology and market-led actions that improve productivity for a broad range of staple and cash crops.

The ADVANCE project will field approximately 20 volunteer consultants each year through both long-term and short-term assignments, providing a total of 2,660 days of technical expertise over the life of ADVANCE—an estimated value of $1.2 million. Volunteer consultants work in the following areas:

• Technical contributions to specific commodity value chains
• Improved production technologies
• Value-addition technologies
• Association and cooperative development and management
• Marketing and linkages to buyers
• Grades and standards
• Training of farmers, agro-dealers, etc.
• Irrigation
• Integrated pest management
• Training in environmental and natural resources management

For more information contact Meredith Jones mjones@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 6/10

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