UNIDO-Japan partnership boosts Staple Food Processing capacity in Tepa
A collaborative initiative between UNIDO and Japan has boosted the food processing capacity in Tepa. The initiative between the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, the Japanese government, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is aimed at enhancing the processing standards of the staple food, rice, at Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality. Six rice millers in the municipality have been equipped with modern rice technology (milling) technology to improve product quality and boost farmer incomes under the initiative.
The project dubbed as “Improving Technology and Quality Control System for Higher Value Addition in the Post-harvest Processes of the Rice Value Chain (ITEQ-RICE),” is aimed at strengthening food safety and boost rice value-chain. The rice industry beneficiariesunder the initiative received training and equipment, including three rice milling machines, three destoners, six grading and sorting machines, three electric motors and three elevators. For the unversed, a destoner is a machine in the food processing industry to remove stones, dirt, and other heavy impurities from grains, seeds, nuts, and beans. Furthermore, a follow-up inspection led by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), with support from MoFA, UNIDO and the Ghana Standards Authority, assessed how well the millers were applying the training related to rice technology and using the machines. The exercise also reinforced knowledge gained and highlighted improvements in rice production practices, especially the adoption of improved seeds.
In this context, Mr Stephen Adgzibii, Municipal Director of Agriculture for Ahafo Ano North, disclosed that the municipality now hosts 29 active rice processing centres. Millers have been encouraged to keep proper records and increase rice production and that too of quality local rice to boost consumer confidence in food processing industries.
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