December 2012 Newsletter - BUSAC

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana2 3BUSAC FUND WINS CIMG AWARDAGAINFor the second time in succession, the BusinessSector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund haswon the prestigious Chartered Institute of Marketing,Ghana (CIMG) award for being the “Not forProfit Organization of the Year 2011”. The award is inrecognition of the Fund’s excellence in strategicallymarketing business advocacy to help create a betterenabling environment for the Ghanaian privatesector.The event took place at the colourful 23rd AnnualCIMG awards ceremony held at the Banquet Hall ofthe State House on Saturday, September 8th, 2012.TheDeputy Fund Manager, Ms. Laurencia Tettey, receivedthe award on behalf of the BUSAC Fund.The BUSAC Fund is a not-for-profit organisationthat defends and promotes the use of fact-basedbusiness advocacy to influence policy reform and todemonstrate the healthy engagement needed betweenthe private sector and the public sector to insureprosperity for all in a win-win relationship.As a project, The BUSAC Fund is highly motivated byits purpose to enhance the capacity of emerging andestablished business associations, trade unions, farmbasedorganisations and business media (cumulativelyknown as private sector organisations, PSO’s) toadvocate for changes in policies and regulatoryframeworks that hinder the growth of the Ghanaianprivate sector. Since 2004,and Short Term Consultants. The Fund’s performance is motivated by its desire to empower the private sectorto effectively engage with duty bearers to create an enabling environment for business development andgrowth.Story: Ebenezer Kpentey, BUSAC Fund.THE BUSAC FUND’S 2012 CIMG AWARDS NIGHT IN PICTURESBUSAC Fund Staff at the CIMG Awards NightMr. Zakaria Sumaila, Grants Manager of the BUSAC Fund, Mrs.E. J. Villars, Chairperson of BUSAC Fund’s Steering Committeeand some Service Providers applaud a stage performance.The BUSAC Fund Staff and two Service Providers pose for the camera with the awardsPart of the citation given to the Fund read:“To facilitate the development and growth of a competitiveand vibrant private sector, you have proven beyondall doubt your capabilities at improving the environmentin which these businesses operate by enhancingthe capacity of emerging and established organisations.Though a Not-for-Profit Organisation, your expenditurein the past years are beyond comprehension as youcontinue to dip deeper into your reserves to keep theprivate sector ticking.”the BUSAC Fund has issued over 625 grants worthmore than US $ 14 million to PSO’s across the 10 regionsof Ghana.The staff of the BUSAC Fund expressed delight aboutthe fact that the Fund’s services to the Ghanaian privatesector have been duly recognized by the CIMGonce again. The BUSAC Fund shares this nobleachievement with its stakeholders -DANIDA, USAID,and the EU who provide the support, the GranteesThe Acting Fund Manager, Ms. Laurencia Tettey recieving theaward on behalf of the BUSAC FundTwo representatives of DANIDA, the lead donor, displayingthe awardsDECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana4 5THE BUSAC FUND’S 2012 CIMG AWARDS NIGHT IN PICTURESBUSAC FUND MANAGER LEAVES GHANAMs. Justine N. Mensah, a Service Provider; Ms. Laurencia Tettey,BUSAC Fund’s Ag. Fund Manager and Mrs. E. J. Villars, SteeringCommittee Member applaud a stage performance.The BUSAC Fund Staff receiving the award on stageTwo Service Providers, Nana Croffie and Alhassan Unus andEmmanuel T. Kuadzi, BUSAC Fund Webmaster in a pose.BUSAC Fund Staff and Nana Croffie, a former member of theteam pose for the camera.Mr. Zakaria Sumaila, Grants Manager and Mr. Kofi A.Frimpong, Capacity Building & Training Specialist, both of theBUSAC Fund having a chat.BUSAC Fund’s Ag. Fund Manager, Laurencia Tettey, Tamale OfficeChief, Mr. Puorideme and a Service Provider with the awardsThe Fund Manager of the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, Dr Dale Rachmeler, hasended his over six years stay in Ghana working to contribute to the creation of a more enabling businessenvironment for the growth and development of the private sector.During his stay in Ghana, Dr Rachmeler, through the BUSAC Fund project, empowered the private sector toengage the public sector in “Public–Private–Partnership using evidence-based advocacy to address the concernsof the sector.”When Dale joined the BUSAC Fund in 2007, there were numerous challenges with most of the grants on theproject, which led to very few grants concluding their actions on time. Under his leadership, most of the challengeswere addressed and BUSAC Fund became a well known brand in Ghana.The BUSAC Fund won the CIMG award for being the“Not for Profit Organisation of the year” for two consecutiveyears – 2010 and 2011. This recognition atteststo the dynamic leadership Dr. Rachmelerprovided since joining the Fund.Dr. Dale Rachmeler promoted the use of vetiver inmany communities in Ghana to stabilise the dams forirrigation purposes, or for erosion control, soil andwater conservation in communities and farmlands.This he did using his own resources including timeand money.Dr Rachmeler, a sustainable agriculturalist/Dr. Dale Racmeler receiving BUSAC Fund’s 2010 CIMG Award.environmentalist, having worked on long-termassignments in mainly Francophone Africa over thepast 38 years, started as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in the Ivory Coast in 1973 and worked with the USAIDeither as a long-term consultant or as a project manager within USAID. His stay and work in Ghana hasimpacted the lives of many people at the BUSAC Fund Management Unit, the Business Service Providers, DueDiligence/Monitoring and Evaluation Data Collectors, Monitors, Trainers, Evaluators, BUSAC Fund SteeringCommittee, the Development Partners and most especially the BUSAC Fund Grantees.He says, “Ghana has taught me about the art of the impossible, and it has shown me that all who wish forchange have but to use their voices, be persistent and know the difference between fact and fiction. Ghana ismoving forward and that positive movement is a tribute to its people, its leaders and its spirit. May Ghana be anexample to others as the way forward is clear, however bumpy the path may be. The world watches and waits,as I do, and someday Ghana will join the ranks of developed countries where health and wealth are abundantand available to all.”Dr. Rachmeler’s professional goal is to assist the developed world to reduce poverty in the developing world.Overall, all his professional experience has dealt with improving the livelihoods of citizens in developing countries.He admits that none of what he has achieved in life would have been possible without the rock of hisexistence, his wife Susan Wright, who is his guide 24/7.Story: Laurencia Tettey, the BUSAC Fund.DECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana6 7BUSAC FUND MEETS WITH ITS SHORT TERM CONSULTANTSThe Business Sector Advocacy Challenge(BUSAC) Fund has organized end of year reviewmeetings with its accredited short termconsultants from 23rd October to 6th November 2012at the MJ Grand Hotel in Accra.THE 2012 REVIEW MEETINGS IN PICTURESThe annual review meetings enable the BUSAC FundManagement to meet with its short term consultantsto discuss the challenges they face in the course ofrendering services to the BUSAC Fund grantees. Themeeting also offers the consultants the opportunity toshare experiences and to learn from their colleagues.The first of these meetings was held on the 23rd ofOctober, 2012 for 14 BUSAC Fund-accredited DueDiligence Specialists (DDS) / Monitoring and EvaluationData Collectors (M&EDC). During the meeting,participants discussed the data collection toolsand made recommendations on how to improve theirwork as M&E’s/DDS’s to ensure that the goals and objectivesof the BUSAC Fund were achieved.The then BUSAC Fund Manager, Dr. Dale Rachmelerurged the DDS and M&EDC to be vigilant in theirduties and alert the BUSAC Fund Management aboutgrantees who have little or no knowledge about theadvocacy action they were embarking upon.The BUSAC Fund accredited Business Service Providers(BSPs) took their turn at the review meeting onthe 25th and 30th October, 2012. A total of 51 BSPsparticipated in the meeting and discussed the role ofBSPs, Data collectors, Trainers and Monitors in a successfuladvocacy action. Participants also discussedthe various challenges they face in the course of workingwith BUSAC Fund’s grantees. The Grants Manager,Mr. Zakaria Sumaila urged BSPs to help empowergrantees by giving them good guidance in the courseof implementing their advocacy actions.Mr. Philip Ankomah, an accredited BUSAC FundTrainer made a presentation on trainers experienceon the activities of a BSP. He stressed the need forBSPs and trainers to cooperate with one another inorder to serve the grantees better.Nana Croffie, an accredited BUSAC Fund MonitorThe BUSAC Fund Manager, Dr. Dale Rachmeler displayingexamples of unacceptable grant applicationsalso shared his experiences as a Monitor while workingwith BSPs. He urged all BSPs to make it a pointto be present at the pre-disbursement meetings oftenheld between monitors and grantees before the commencementof the advocacy action.Ms. Victoria Lyubytska Hewlett, Finance Manager ofthe BUSAC Fund, led participants in the discussionon how to prepare and present financial reports forthe BUSAC Fund. She also gave participants insightsinto the tax obligations of a consultant in Ghana.During the discussion of BSPs performance for theyear 2012, the BUSAC Fund Manager, Dr. Dale Rachmelerencouraged all BSPs to perform their dutiescreditably in compliance with the rules governing theconduct of BUSAC Fund-accredited consultants. Hedisplayed examples of poorly written grant applications,and warned that BSPs caught flouting the rulesgoverning grant applications will be severely sanctioned.Similar review meetings were held between BUSACFund Management and its accredited Trainers andMonitors on the 1st and 6th November 2012 respectively.Story: Ebenezer Kpentey, the BUSAC Fund.BUSAC Fund Grants Manager, Mr. Zakaria Sumaila interactingwith Due Diligence Specialists at the review meetingA BSP, Mr. Philip Ankomah shares his experience at the reviewmeeting for MonitorsTamale Office Chief, Mr. Dennis Puorideme leading a discussionsession at the review meeting for Service ProvidersA Trainer, Ms. Bertha Gakor sharing experiences at the reviewmeeting for TrainersBUSAC Fund’s Project Director from COWI, Mr. Nicolas Gebaraexplaining a point at the review meeting for trainers.A group of Trainers, BUSAC Fund Staff and BUSAC Fund ProjectDirector from COWI in a poseDECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana8 9Mr. Alhassan Unus sharing experiences with fellow BSPs duringthe review meetingA BUSAC Fund accredited Monitor, Mr. Issah Yahya shares hisexperience at the review meeting for MonitorsTHE 2012 REVIEW MEETINGS IN PICTURESBUSAC Fund’s Ag. Fund Manager, Laurencia Tettey explains apoint to Trainers at the review meetingA BSP, Ms. Victoria Araba Dennis addresses fellow BSPs at thereview meeting.DEVELOP SMALL SCALE MINING IN GHANA - GCMThe Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) hascalled for the speedy approval of the draft NationalPolicy on Mining. The chamber is advocatingfor the adoption of the policy to highlightsmall scale mining as a potential source of significantrevenue and job creation for the youth in Ghana. TheChamber is also appealing to national authorities tostrictly enforce Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act (Act703), 2006 with a clear definition of what constitutesacceptable and unacceptable mining practices.The CEO of Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr. Toni Aubynn, addresses participants at the postdialogue meetingThese facts were made known during a post dialoguemeeting held at the M-Plaza Hotel on 29th November2012 between officials of GCM and stakeholdersin Ghana’s mining industry. The meeting, which ispart of the Chamber’s advocacy programme, was wellattended by representatives of the Minerals Commission,Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),Water Resources Commission (WRC), National DevelopmentPlanning Commission (NDPC) and theBusiness Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund.Journalists from the Business and Financial Times,Peace FM and The Daily Guide were also present tocover the event.is being sponsored by the BUSAC Fund, which issupported by DANIDA, USAID and the EU.At the meeting, participants discussed the need to increasethe percentage of mining royalties allocated tothe Minerals Development Fund (MDF). Currently,mining companies in Ghana pay the equivalent of5% of their gross production to the government asroyalties. The government in turn allocates 10% ofthose royalties to the MDF and 10% to the miningcommunities; the governmentthen retains 80%of the royalties. GCMis however advocatingthat the governmentshould reduceits share of the royaltiesto 70% andincrease the share ofthe MDF to 20%.The Chamber is alsorecommending that5% of the royaltiesallocated to the MDFshould be speciallydedicated to the developmentof smallscale mining inGhana. The Chamberfurther called on thegovernmentto quickly pass theMinerals Development Fund Bill into law to enhancethe effective implementation of these recommendations.The CEO of GCM, Dr. Toni Aubynn denounced theillegal practice of mining on a small scale without anappropriate license. He cited the example of smallscale miners who applied for licenses and went aheadto mine at the site before receiving their licenses. Hecalled on the licensing authorities to help discouragethis illegal practice by issuing the requisite licenses ontime and punishing unlicensed miners adequately toserve as a deterrent to potential culprits.A Trainer, Mr. Braimah Sanjage making a presentation at thereview meeting for TrainersBUSAC Fund’s Capacity Building & Training Specialist, Mr. KofiA. Frimpong leading BSPs in a discussion at the review meetingThe GCM’s advocacy programme entitled, MainstreamingArtisanal and Small Scale Mining in GhanaOfficials of GCM also stressed the need to educateover 450 small scale miners on the use of newDECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana10 11technology, safe mining practices and appropriate land reclamation methods. The Chamber also intends toinstitute a recognition and award scheme by June 2013 to honour small scale miners who comply with theregulations governing the mining industry.The representative of NDPC assured the Chamber that once the National Policy on Mining is promulgated, theNDPC will ensure that the relevant district assemblies will incorporate its contents into their long term plansto ensure its effective implementation.Story: Ebenezer H. Kpentey, the BUSAC Fund.BUSAC FUND ASSISTS LIME GROWERS IN CENTRAL REGIONThe Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund has made available GH¢65,996.70 to theCentral Region Lime Growers and Marketers Association (LGMA) for advocacy and training programmes.in place a policy framework for the establishment of an institution which would be responsible for the development,promotion and sale of lime to stem the extinction of the industry.He said due to the lack of a vibrant market and a body to manage the sector most lime growers have either cutdown their trees or have deserted farming for other means of livelihood.Mr. Ainoo said currently it is only Pinora, a lime buying company that purchases the huge tonnes of lime producedin the region and expressed worry that most lime growers could be out of business.He appealed to the government and stakeholders in the industry for the creation of a Board to streamline allcitrus farming activities.Mr. Ainoo said the proposed board could improve upon the negotiation power of the lime and citrus farmersand have positive impact on the living standards of farmers.Mr. Samuel Abraham, Cape Coast Metropolitan Director of Food and Agriculture said the next farmer’s daycelebration in the area would include an award for the best lime grower.Mr. Ato Van-Ess, an accredited BUSAC Fund Trainer who announced this in Cape Coast on 6th November,2012 said out of the amount, LGMA contributed GH¢ 5,999.70 as their contribution towards the programmewhich would last for nine months. Mr.Van-Ess was speaking at a sensitisation workshop on “Advocacy for theImmediate Intervention by Government to Prevent the Extinction of Lime in Ghana”.The workshop, attended by more than 70 lime growers, was sponsored by the BUSAC Fund and was gearedtowards the creation of awareness on the importance of the citrus and lime industry to the Ghanaianeconomy.The workshop highlighted the plight of lime farmers, stimulated stakeholder interest in the citrus and limesub sectors as well as pushed for a policy framework for the establishment of a citrus board.Source: GNA – 7th November, 2012HUMOURMr. Van-Ess said theBUSAC Fund would continueto give citrus and limefarmers the requisite advocacytraining to enable themaddress the challenges thatcitrus farmers face.Lime has many domestic and industrial uses. Its Producers and Marketers are calling forgovernment policies to enhance the production of the fruit.He called for the establishmentof a processingplant, upgrading of farmingpractices and the needfor farmers to deal directlywith final users of the producein order to eliminatemiddle men and marketqueens who exploit them.Mr. Paul Ainoo, Chairmanof the Cape Coast LGMAappealed to the Ministry ofFood and Agriculture to putLack of basic infrastructure is one of the numerous challenges faced by private sector investors in GhanaDECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana12 13BUSAC FUND SUPPORTS GUINEA FOWL FARMING IN SABOBAFor many decades the Newcastle disease has been the major setback to productive guinea fowl rearing inSaboba, a predominantly farming town in the Eastern corridor of Northern Ghana.The annual mortality rate of guinea fowls in the Saboba District ranges from 95 to 100%. Several attempts toreverse the trend have been faced with many challenges, including poor veterinary services, inadequate financialsupport, and lack of skills/techniques in the rearing of the birds among others.The farmers, in 2003, formed a co-operative society named Kakpeni Co-operative Guinea Fowl Farmers SocietyLimited (KCGFFSL). The association has a membership of 107, made up of 35 women and 70 men fromnine communities, namely Kakpeni, Galimata, Borkpalbu, Wayuu, Kiteek, Kimoteek communities ‘A’ and ‘B’,Sobiiba, and Bungbaal.Though their first attempt in July 2008 with a stakeholders’ workshop did not yield the desired objective, thefarmers have seen the need to resort to awareness creation and advocacy action to bring an end to the annualoutbreak of Newcastle disease affecting guinea fowls in the district.With financial support of GH¢32,000 from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, and withstrong collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), the farmers conducted a surveywhich revealed that 30% of the members of the Kakpeni Cooperative Guinea Fowl Farmers Society rear guineafowls as their major economic activity.According to the survey, 100% of therespondents believe that guinea fowlproduction has the potential of reducingpoverty, ensuring food security,providing employment, promotinglocal economic development andgenerating revenue for the district assembly.The respondents acknowledged thefact that the Newcastle disease was aserious challenge to the productionof birds, and was more devastating tokeets than grown guinea fowls.Veterinary services are poor in theSaboba District, as about 75% doGuinea Fowl Farmers are calling for support to curb the high mortality rate of birdsnot seek their services. About 55% offarmers also indicated that it was verydifficult to get veterinary services. The Newcastle disease is regarded as the single most important challengeto guinea fowl production in the Saboba district. It kills up to 60% of keets annually, while 55% of the farmersuse self medication to treat their fowls, 27.5% use herbs, while 12.5% use Veterinary services, and the Ministryof Food and Agriculture offers little assistance to guinea fowl farmers, as indicated by 75% of the respondents.After putting out the outcome of the survey, the farmers made a number of recommendations. First, the farmersrecommended that considering the importance of guinea fowl production as a business venture, manypeople, especially more women, should be encouraged to rear guinea fowls.The MOFA, in collaboration with the District Assembly, should take proactive measures to control the Newcastledisease, as it proves to be a drawback on guinea fowl production; farmers must be educated as to howDECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in Ghana1415to handle the birds to avoid recording huge losses.The farmers also recommended that drugs should be made available and affordable to enable the farmers usethem, and guinea fowl farmers should be educated to start breeding keets in June, as the mortality rate is verylow in that month. They further suggested that veterinary services should be used rather than self medicationand herbs, as these have proven not to be effective.In exclusive interview with The Chronicle in Saboba, the Chairman of the Kakpeni Co-operative Guinea FowlFarmers Society Limited (KCGFFSL), Rev. Djankpa N. Peter, thanked the BUSAC Fund for the support.Source: The Ghanaian Chronicle; www.ghanaian-chronicle.com; 26th November, 2012PALM OIL PRODUCERS ADVOCATE FOR ELECTRICITYPalm oil producers operating within Ajumako Enyan Essiam District in the Central Region have made apassionate appeal to authorities, specifically the District Assembly to recognize the immense contributionof palm oil industry towards the growth of domestic and national economy and give the industrythe necessary support.The producers who had previously expressed their challenges in a similar forum, reaffirmed that the majorproblem retarding the progress of the palm oil business is the absence of hydro-electric power at the Ofobilproducing site. It was explained that since there was no electricity at the Ofobil production site, producersmostly depend on diesel powered equipment in the production processes which was costly and less efficient touse. For them, the situation had always made it impossible to work at the site at night due to the darkness andgeneral insecurity, thus reducing their working time at the site which in turn affects the level of productivity.With the diesel powered machines in use, the producers noticed that they can only produce eight barrels of oilin a week at a cost of 42 gallons of diesel at the rate of GH¢8.00 per gallon. However, with electricity this productionlevel could be tripled within the given period. For them, the cumulative effect of these was that, the industrywas made less rewarding and less attractive at the site, since they had often experienced low productivitywhich affects their incomes and business growth.The palm oil producers therefore calledon government to make efforts towardsthe extension of electricity to the site,adding that a separate transformer installedand designated only for use atthe site would do them a lot more good.This was realized during a day’s sensitizationworkshop organized by theAjumako Enyan Essiam Palm Oil ProducersAssociation (AEEPOPA) to raiseawareness of the association’s membersand instill in them a sense of ownershipof an advocacy action meant to addresselectricity problem confronting theirpalm oil production business.Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, which is supported by DANIDA, USAID and the European Union. The workshopwas themed, “Advocating for the provision of electricity to boost production of palm and kennel oil at Ofobil”.The activity recorded an attendance of 271 participants made up of 174 males and 97 females.On behalf of the implementation team of the action, the chairman of the association, Mr. Owusu Acheampongreiterated that oil palm production started in the 1820s and that despite Ghana’s efforts in the industry, Malaysiawhich learnt lessons from Ghanaian palm oil industry is now far ahead of Ghana in reaping the benefitsgrounded in the industry due to the adequate attention given the industry in Malaysia. The chairman lamentedthat upon all the viable nature of the palm oil business, it had over the years enjoyed limited support from thecentral government.This, according to Mr. Acheampong has contributed to the gradual dwindling of income within the industry.Amid standing ovation from the participants, Mr. Acheampong intimated that tapping of palm wine, growingof mushroom on the dead palm trees, weaving of baskets ( from the straw of the tree), roofing of houses andhats/ building of thatch houses, production of animal feed (from oil palm leaves) as well as preparation of soapsare some of the numerous benefits derived from the oil palm tree.According to the implementation team, unstable market prices for the oil palm products and the bad natureof the roads to the industrial site are the other problems confronting the oil palm industry at the Ofobil site.Contributing to the subject , Mr. John Yaw Akparep, an accredited Business Service Provider/Consultant to theassociation urged members of the association to lend their unflinching support to the implementation team,adding that it is only through collective effort that they can eventually overcome the current problems facing oilpalm production at the Ofobil production site. He took the opportunity to appeal to the government throughthe Ministry of Trade and Industry to help provide electricity to oil palm producers at Ofobil.The BUSAC Fund accredited monitor for the association, Mr. Seth Komla Nutakor commended the associationfor organizing a successful sensitization workshop and encouraged them to cooperate to make the advocacyaction succeed for the benefit of all. He advised the leadership of the association to make judicious use ofthe grant to achieve the desired results.Source: www.ghanaweb.comTHE BEMCOM YOUTH SUCCESS STORYWith the support of the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, Bencom Youth Enterprise Association(BYEA) have successfully convinced the Food Research Institute (FRI) (the official institution inGhana with the mandate to supervise and certify all set-ups of spore production) to extend their services tomushroom production centers in and around Techiman.The Techiman area has a number of farmers engaged in mushroom production. Some of these farmers havecome together to form associations to foster the well-being of their businesses. There are about 40 associationsinvolved with the production of mushrooms. Recognizing the absence of a certified spore production facility asa major barrier to the expansion and growth of the mushroom production business in the Brong Ahafo region,BYEA mobilized about 24 other mushroom producer associations and farmers in the Techiman area to successfullyadvocate for the FRI to invest in the certification process for a spore production center for mushroomfarmers in the area.The sensitization workshop was sponsoredby the Business Sector AdvocacyGallons of palm oil for sale at a village in the Ashanti RegionThe BYEA, through this initiative with the BUSAC Fund support, have succeeded in establishing one FRIDECEMBER, 2012 DECEMBER, 2012

16 BUSAC Fund News Nurturing the Growth of Business Advocacy in GhanaCertified Spore Production center at Techiman.One requirement for the FRI certification was theavailability of the required technical know-howpermanently present at the spawn production facility.BYEA and the other associations therefore supportedthe BYEA President, Mr. Bernard Bempahin his efforts to enhance his technical skills inmushroom cultivation, which culminated in Bernardundertaking specialized spawn productiontraining and education in the United States.This initiative has added an important value ofspore technology to the private sector communityin Techiman. Moreover, today, through this advocacyinitiative, there are more than 350 young Mushroom production in the Brong Ahafo region has received a boost.men and women within the Techiman area activelyengaged in mushroom production.There is an increase in jobs in mushroom production for the youth in the area and improved incomes for thesemushroom farmers from improved technology and quality production. Again, the advocacy capacity of BYEAand the other associations have been enhanced for further useful business advocacy initiatives.***********************ISSUED BY THE BUSAC FUNDEditor: Ms. Laurencia TetteyDesigned and written by: Mr. Ebenezer KpenteyEmail: contact@busac.org12/12/2012DECEMBER, 2012