Design and implementation of a platform to reduce Post Harvest Lost (PHL) in Ghana

The intelAgri project is aimed at introducing solutions to serious shortcomings in agribusiness in Ghana. To provide incentives in the development and enhancement of the bounties within our borders; incentives which have so far eluded the agricultural sector by reason of Post-Harvest Loss (PHL). Research has proven that about 50% of the total harvest, especially of perishable farm produce is loss even before getting to the consumer. Our solution entails applying expertise in the use of innovation in telecommunication to provide real time interface between farmers and buyers for the express purpose of reducing PHL. This will accommodate the obvious inadequacies in basic infrastructure like logistics, poor road networks, incoherent government policies among others, prevalent in the Sub Saharan Africa. This project also aims to spotlight solutions for utilization by government in shaping policies in the agricultural sector. It proposes to design and implement platforms that will bring farmers together on one hand and connect them to buyers on the other all in real time. Our proposed solutions are designed to overcome the obstacles posed by a preponderance of farmers with no or low formal education. The proposals adduced by this project will ride on the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software featuring a website functionality to showcase an on-line marketplace. It will also include the creation of farmers’ hub and the participation of the Local Telecommunication Companies (Telcos) employing the unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) solution. The proposals do not only aim at reducing Post Harvest Loss but to: 1. Improve the income of the farmer. 2. Provide incentives for investments in the agricultural sector. 3. Contribute to National Food and Nutritional Security. 4. Stimulate floundering economy. Agriculture contributes to 54 % of Ghana’s GDP and accounts for over 40 % of export earnings, while at the same time providing over 90 % of the food needs of the country and,5. Contribute to universal human right which the current food insecurity has left unmet