The African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), in partnership with Export Trading Group (ETG), has inaugurated a new farmer service hub in Yagaba, aimed at transforming access to farm inputs and strengthening agricultural livelihoods in the area.
The AFAP-ETG Agri-Input Hub is designed as a last-mile delivery center to make quality inputs more accessible and affordable to smallholder farmers. Beyond providing fertilizers and seeds, the hub will also offer continuous practical training on improved farming techniques, post-harvest handling, and market linkages. The facility is further expected to generate employment opportunities for local youth.
This initiative builds on AFAP’s Community-Based Advisor (CBA) model, supported by AGRA, which has so far engaged more than 1,500 young people across Ghana in extension service delivery and agribusiness entrepreneurship.
At the launch, Adam Karim, who represented the District Chief Executive and the Department of Agriculture, described the hub as a timely intervention that aligns with district strategies to improve food security and youth employment.
“Access to quality farm inputs has been a significant challenge for many farmers in our district, resulting in low yields, reduced incomes, and stress. However, today marks a new chapter. This initiative will not only boost crop yields but also ease the difficulties farmers face in accessing inputs,” he said.
The District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Zachariah Kwabena, emphasized the importance of strengthening rural input systems, assuring the ministry’s collaboration with CBAs managing the facility to ensure its sustainability.
Speaking on behalf of AFAP, Nana-Aisha Mohammed, Regional Director for West Africa and Country Manager for Ghana, highlighted the broader goal of the project.
“This is more than just the opening of a physical facility—it is a step towards enhancing last-mile access to inputs and creating new opportunities for young people. AFAP is committed to making this hub a model of excellence and replicating it across the country,” she said.
She thanked AGRA for its continued support and praised ETG for endorsing the model and providing essential inputs. She also urged other input companies to adopt the initiative to address access and affordability challenges in hard-to-reach farming communities.
On his part, ETG Technical Sales Agronomist, Jonas Ayanore, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting farmers.
“Our philosophy is simple: if farmers grow, we grow too. Through this partnership, we aim to create sustainable impact on farmers’ lives and spread what we call ‘360-degree happiness,’” he remarked.
The event attracted farmer groups, commercial producers, local leaders, and key stakeholders, who welcomed the initiative as a major step in advancing agricultural transformation in the region.
Founded in 2012, AFAP is a non-profit social enterprise that works to strengthen agricultural input value chains across Africa, supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), wholesalers, and agro-dealers to connect with both local retailers and international manufacturers of fertilizers, seeds, crop protection products, and soil health solutions.
