The Hon. Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto on Thursday handed over four (4) Reefer Vans 3.2 Tons Capacity to beneficiary productive partnership entrepreneurs. This facility is under the Ghana Peri-Urban Vegetable Value Chain Project (GPVVCP) aimed at improving sustainable supply of vegetables to markets at stabilize prices. The vans will also support the operations of the vegetable dealers and ultimately help farmers to get their produce to the market on time and to avoid postharvest losses.
The beneficiaries are:
1. A B Farm Ventures - Asabaade
2. Fruit Masters - Tema
3. Farm Direct –Tema
4. Whytebage - Tema
5. Akuafo TV and Investments - Nsawam
6. HMR - East Legon
7. Green Grass - Nsawam same as BB Veggies
8. FM24 - Cantonments same as brand name dzifresh
9. Tacks Farm - Old Akrade
According to the Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, in the next 6-7 years it is envisaged that Ghana could reap earnings of about 1 billion USD from vegetable exports, with the expansion of Greenhouse Villages in all parts of the country.
The concept of Greenhouse Villages was wholly embraced because of its potential benefits to actors along the vegetable value chain and the economy as a whole.
With the distribution of these refeer vans, the added benefit is that food tourism will also receive a boost from the patronage of our local food produce and enhance businesses and incomes.
The Hon. Minister also used the occasion to commission the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) Office complex.
The building is a prefabricated facility with 45 offices including a conference 
room and a digital library constructed with funding from the World Bank and Implemented by the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP) of MoFA.
The Ghana Irrigation Development was faced with a challenge for office accommodation as a result of a demolishing exercise at the sea side to pave way for the marine drive project
To take off. It was there for refreshing when the World Bank through GCAP constructed the office facility.
The provision of this new office facility will go a long way to boost the moral and create a sound working environment for staff of GIDA to deliver on their mandate.
By Bagbara Tanko, PRO
