GSA to establish organic certification scheme

… tackling sub-standard organic products

By Deborah Asantewaah SARFO 

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has announced its initiative to establish an organic certification scheme and testing of organic products, tackling sub-standard products in the ecosystem among other challenges in the sector.

The initiative aims to sanitise the system by addressing key challenges in the sector, including sub-standard products, a ban on organic agro-based food in the international market and expensive certification regimes, among others.

Additionally, it will ensure that all organic products for both local consumption and export are safe, reliable and of good quality.

The Board Chair of GSA, Prof. Felix Charles Mills-Robertson, made this announcement at a stakeholder meeting, saying: “The presence of sub-standard food diet, often marketed as organic, has raised alarm among stakeholders across the value… In light of these challenges, we have recognised the pressing need for a locally adopted and accredited organic certification scheme”.

At the meeting, stakeholders – including processors, government agencies, producers, among others – jointly discussed appropriate frameworks and standards toward the establishment of the organic certification scheme.

The certification scheme and testing of organic products is an objective of a grant agreement for GSA’s project, ‘Job, Partnership and Promotion of Small and Medium-Size Enterprises’, signed between GIZ and GSA in December 2022. It is expected to run as a two-and-a-half-year project.

According to Prof. Robertson, the certification scheme will open new opportunities for farmers, producers, processors and other stakeholders in the sector to position the country as the front runner in the West Africa region and consequently be equipped to provide essential certification services.

He added that the scheme would equip industry players with the requisite resources to flourish in a competitive market, enhancing the credibility and quality of the products they export.

“This initiative will enhance the credibility of exporters, producers, processors and retailers of organic products, fostering trust in both local and international market.”

The Head of Food and Agric at the GSA, who doubles as the Project Coordinator, Dr. Paul Osei Fosu, reported that the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system (LCMS) and other equipment for testing have been procured and installed, with lashing done at an estimated cost of €369,800 out of a total grant of €565,122.21.

He indicated that the scheme will provide organic farmers with certification requirements to bridge the gap for local producers and also reduce trade barriers to applicable standards for the country’s agro-based produce.

Outlining other benefits of the scheme to industry players, he said it presents them with an opportunity to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Component Manager of Invest for Jobs at GIZ, Simon Hochstein, urged farmers, producers and input providers to shift their focus to the organic agric value chain because “it makes business sense”.

He explained that the growing demand for organic foods, coupled with the global organic food market valued at US$181.5billion in 2022 and projected to reach a value of US$446.2billion by 2030 at a compound annual rate of about 12 percent between 2023-2030, makes the sector a good business venture.

He emphasised that Ghanaian SMEs will access various global certifications and trade on the international market, particularly in the European (EU) market, boosting company growth and creating more decent jobs for the youth in the country.

Prof. Robertson noted that the GSA is devoted to ensuring that the management of the scheme is well-equipped and its objectives are integrated into broader activities for effective monitoring and implementation.

He further called for a joint effort to “establish a robust organisation framework that uplifts farmers and producers while enhancing the global standing of Ghanaians and agricultural food”.

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