The GhaFFaP/FFPO Assessment and Categorization Validation Workshop, held on 23rd April 2025 at GhaFFaP’s Secretariat in Kumasi, served as a key platform for engaging stakeholders on the outcomes of a recent profiling exercise and market study involving 17 selected Forest and Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs) across Ghana’s Forest, Transition, and Savannah zones.
Facilitated by Agriterra, the workshop brought together GhaFFaP leaders, FFPO representatives, and technical partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Forestry Commission (FC), and the lead consultant with the following objectives:
- To present the findings of the market study, assessment, and categorization of the FFPOs.
- To validate the categorization results through stakeholder input and dialogue.
- To identify priority capacity-building needs to inform targeted technical support.
- To build consensus on the next steps for FFPO incubation and business development.
Key sessions featured the presentation of market study results and categorization outcomes lead by the facilitator Frank Oduro of Agriterra which outlined the existing business landscape and emerging opportunities for FFPOs. The findings highlighted significant capacity gaps in areas such as governance, membership engagement, gender and youth inclusion, financial management, service delivery, climate resilience, and farmer-led business development.
The workshop also included interactive group discussions where participants collectively examined the findings, shared experiences from the field, and proposed actionable strategies tailored to their specific organizational contexts. These group sessions enriched the dialogue and allowed for deeper reflection on the practical implications of the assessment.
The workshop provided space for rich discussions, feedback, and shared recommendations. Stakeholders emphasized the urgent need for organizational strengthening, the re-registration of non-profit FFPOs as cooperatives, improved data systems, and targeted inclusion strategies.
The validated findings and insights from this session will directly shape the next phase of GhaFFaP’s capacity development and business incubation agenda, aimed at supporting FFPOs to become commercially viable, inclusive, and sustainable entities that effectively serve their member farmers.
