ECASARD, APFOG PROMOTES MISTOWA IN THE WESTERN REGION
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West African is made up of Anglophone countries or English speaking and Francophone or French speaking countries, hence the trade systems and service related between formidable and recognized agricultural bodies between these to lingua blocks. Some of the reputable promotion of MISTOWA activities is CONOESAS-Senegal CONSEAM in Sikasso-mail, RESIMAD- the Anglophones
Countries, formidable and recognized organization or associations which play an active role in promoting MISTOWA are as follows (ECASARD-Ghana, APFOG-Ghana GAIDA-Ghana, GAPTO-Ghana, NAMIS-Nigeria, SPFS-Nigeria, IFDC-Nigeria, and PCU-Nigeria.
What Is MISTOWA?
It is an acronym or abbreviation for MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR TRADERS ORGANIZATION IN WEST AFRICA.
One of its major areas is to address the low level of intra-regional trade in West Africa owing to limited access to unique, accurate and timely market information. MISTOWA is billed to compile regional database which will assist to make real time prince and other market information available and accessible to notable clients and partners via internet, emails and Satellite radio in English, French as well as different African languages like Swahili. MISTOWA will also be in a suitable position to collect, collage analyses and disseminate market information to agricultural inputs and agricultural commodities.
In order to nip the canker from the bud ,Amazing saving Grace Farmers Association(ASGFA0, ECASARD and FOUNDI NG MEMBERS ORGANIZATION of GHANA ( APFOG) took the mantle to host and organize one day workshop with the theme ‘’MISTOWA IN THE WESTERN REGION’’ in June 2006. Delegates and Officials from APFOG national secretarial, Accra visited Sekondi / Western Region to introduce and promote the concept and activities of MISTOWA. Participants were dominated by ECASARD representatives from ECASARD member organizations. The response was very encouraging which yielded positive results.
Obviously, it solidifies the Strong relationship and bound between ECASARD and APFOG members.
Questions were asked which helped to maximize the awareness creation, education toppled with creditable understanding towards market information, uniformity or price systems and improvement of inter-community and inter-regional trade. In a nutshell, APFOG delegates learnt a lot from suggestions vice versa.
Finally farmers were able to enhance and build their capacities towards standard weights and measures of commodities to ensure fair price systems through Ghana standard Board (GSB) including farm and social development.
ACRONYMS USED (ANAGLOPHONE)
NAMIS - Nigeria Agricultural Market Information Service
SPFS - Special Program for Food security
GAIDA - Ghana Agric Input Dealers Association
GAPTO - Ghana Agricultural Producers and Traders Organization
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