Visit by USAID Team

On Friday 13 January 2012 Ms. Julie Howard, Chief Scientist at the Bureau for Food Security and Senior Advisor to the Administrator on Agricultural Research, Extension and Education at the USAID Washington visited AGRA Accra. Ms. Howard was hosted by the Interim Director of the Accra Office, Mr. Kwame Akuffo-Akoto and Senior Program Officers. Ms Howard was accompanied by senior staff from the Agency including Mr. Jeff Hill from the Washington office, and Messrs Alex Newton and Robert Kargbo from the USAID West Africa Regional office. 

Dr. Kehinde Makinde made a presentation on AGRA’s breadbasket approach, the key partners and challenges. Ms. Howard was happy to learn about what AGRA has done so far in terms of delivering impact in the region. She also mentioned the recently concluded workshop in Tamale where USAID organized a project design workshop for sustainable intensification of the Sudano-Sahelian cereals zone, focusing on Ghana and Mali and she emphasized the need for close partnership between our two institutions given the convergence of interest.

After the presentation, AGRA staff had an opportunity to ask Ms. Howard questions on the projects of interest. They also discussed about warehouse receipt systems, women and minority groups and how they can be supported, roles for regional organization such as the ECOWAS in the up-scaling regional initiatives and policy processes in the seed and fertilizer sectors, and programmatic links between AGRA and USAID.

At the end of the informative interaction, Ms. Howard thanked AGRA team for sharing their thoughts openly with her. “I am personally thrilled by the great efforts AGRA is making on the ground and will work on how to proceed with collaboration to synergize efforts” She said. 

After the meeting at AGRA Accra Office, Ms Howard and the team proceeded to the PASS-funded West African Center for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana to meet staff and students of the Center. “It was an altogether positive event” Dr. DeVries said.

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About the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA programmes develop practical solutions to significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment. AGRA advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural value chain ­from seeds, soil health and water to markets and agricultural education.

AGRA's Board of Directors is chaired by Kofi A Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr Namanga Ngongi, former Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme, is AGRA's president. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK's Department for International Development and other donors, AGRA works across sub-Saharan Africa and maintains offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Accra, Ghana.