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NDTO News Article

Ghanaian Ag Entrepreneurs Turn to ND

Emerging markets continue to turn to North Dakota for agricultural products, expertise and partnership opportunities – this time Ghana is at the door.  The week of Nov. 18, NDTO and partners Kristin Hedger and Maj. Gen. Mike Haugen will host a Ghanaian agriculture company that has been earmarked 30,000 hectares of land by the Ghanaian government with interest in kick-starting the sunflower market in Ghana.

The Dake brothers, young entrepreneurs focused on sustainable agriculture business projects in Ghana, will be visiting North Dakota to meet with companies that can provide the inputs, equipment and training necessary to turn the Shy Hill Plains area of Accra, Ghana into sunflower farmland.

“We hope to grow sunflowers to create sunflower oil as well as cake for livestock feed,” said Francis Dake, co-partner of the initiative.  “North Dakota is known as the U.S. leader in agriculture, so we are looking forward to working with you.”

The other half of the Dake team, Selorm Kofi Dake, served as the youngest person on the ECOWAS Vision 2020 Project, a five member team constituted by the ECOWAS Commission President to develop the 2020 strategic vision for the 15 member countries of West Africa.  He co-founded the Association of Young Entrepreneurs (AYE) Ghana through which he remains committed to unlocking the innovative potential of young Ghanaians and channeling them towards sustainable socio-economic development.

The Dakes are working with the Agriculture department of Ghana’s Parliament as well as the Minister of Agriculture in Ghana to realize the full potential of this newest agriculture initiative outside of Accra.  Currently, the operation is using 10,000 hectares of land to cultivate rice, a crop that Ghana currently imports $650 million worth of, annually.

Dake’s visit comes in the midst of planning the North Dakota- Ghana Trade Mission, which will take place Jan. 16-23 in Accra, Ghana.  To learn more about the North Dakota – Ghana Trade Mission, click here.

If you have interest in meeting with Francis Dake contact Brittany Posey at brittany@ndto.com or (701) 231-1155.